The inseparable parts of Yin and Yang
by System11
Summary: Finally the time had come for him to see his Lady beneath the mask, an interruption though causes him to flee. Little does he know he didn't just leave his Lady that night. As fate would have it, 5 years later he is forced to return and face the consequences of his actions. Aged Up, maybe season 2 spoilers. M rated just encase a bit of lemon squeezes itself in
1. Victory and Defeat

**A/N Hi thanks for joining me on this journey, I hope you like it. This is my second attempt at fan fiction and i'm learning as i go so please be patient with me. lots of love and luck - bug-out.**

The aftermath of the final battle was awful. There was smoke everywhere and having grabbed hawk-moths miraculous they had no choice then to high-tail it out of there. Emerging on the roof coughing from the thick smog inside the abandoned building they saw a tall figure falling fall out the door onto the ground. He was on his hands and knees, sobbing over the loss of something that seemed to go beyond the powers of his miraculous.

It was impossible to see, with the smoke and being on top of the building, who hawk-moth really was, as a civilian, but they could see the police handcuff him and put him roughly into the car.

The superheroes of Paris stood on the roof. It was a grand sight to see from all below. Smoke bellowing out of the windows displaying only their silhouettes as they both jumped into the dusk of the setting sun.

They stopped on their special location on the top of the Eiffel Tower just as the blonde haired, black, Chat Noir heard his ring beep and the girl dressed in red with blue hair, earrings beeped. They started kissing passionately. The adrenaline of the battle pumping trough them. Lady bugs hands wound their way into his hair holding him closer as he backed her towards one of the towers tall beams and wrapped her legs around his waist.

This was it. They were finally going to see who was under the mask. After 4 years, they were finally going to see.

"wait, chat, I need – to" Ladybug gasped between breaths as he kissed her neck passionately.

"I need to – to mmmm" she let out a small groan as his thumb flicked across her suit clad nipple.

She somehow found the strength to push him back. Both breathing heavy, he leaned his forehead against hers. She lazily threw her lucky charm into the air and whispered "miraculous ladybug"

The city glowed as the ladybugs buzzed repairing everything the battle had destroyed or hurt.

Their miraculous beeped once more.

"m'lady, please, show me" Chat grabbed her face planting soft kisses down her neck once more.

It took all her strength in will power to push him away by his nose. "not yet kitty, not here, not like this... meet me back here in half an hour.

She planted a long kiss on his lips and threw her yo-yo swinging away into the now clear night that had enclosed them. Chat sighed as he watched her body swing away.

His transformation dropped and he pulled out some Camembert to hand to his kwami, Plagg. "Plagg, this is it. I'm finally going to see who my love is beneath the mask. She's never shown interest in me before and then suddenly that. Looks like my luck is changing Plagg."

"|Don't get ahead of yourself kid she might not come back" the kwami scoffed.

"She's my lady. I trust her" Adrien stated and sighed watching the place where she had vanished from view.

He heard his phone ringing, then again, and again. It could wait. Plagg had finished his cheese. "Plagg, claws-out!"

After refuelling her kwami and the adrenaline buzzing through her she saw Chat Noir standing right where she had left him. She swung right into his arms wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling his head up to kiss her. The next few mins were pure passion between them. It was just them, Paris was theirs for the taking if they only wished to reach out and grab it. But the only thing either desired was to be in the arms of each other.

Hearts racing, heads pounding, laying on top the Eiffel tower with nothing but their masks and a few blankets they had left there some years before. Breathing heavily and unable to comprehend what just happened, Ladybug turned to Chat, scratching behind his ear as he started purring even louder.

"I'm sorry I said no before Chat, its just, I fell in love with you but I knew whilst we couldn't know each others identities it would never work and now- now hawk-moth is gone, we can be together"

Chat stared into her beautiful bluebell eyes, he had waited on this moment for 4 years. Now at 18 he was finally going to meet his lady.

"What about your crush? The one you went to school with?" Chat swallowed hard, hoping that he hadn't just reminded her and made her change her mind.

"its ok" she looked sad as she said it, distant. "I told him not long go - there's someone else he likes. I still love him, but I love you too. Just as much as I love him. I cant understand how a heart can hold this love for two people but Tikki told me that so many lady bugs and chat noirs end up together because they cant bare to be apart." she held his had in hers, their fingers entwined, she held his gaze, his heart and soul.

"we are two halves of a whole. Even if my crush did like me then it wouldn't last, id feel empty inside without my kitty." she smiled at him.

Chat swallowed hard, again, he could feel a lump rising in his throat. It was time. He was finally going to see her face. Her ladybug phone made a noise which made them jump. She smiled and rolled over grabbing it to check what the alert was.

"its an update from the police, its about the identity of Hawk-moth -" she gasped and almost dropped her phone. "no-I-I cant believe it!-" Chat was stood up putting his suit back on so he didn't have to reveal himself naked to her.

He bent over the phone smiling. "come on then who was this mastermind villain who eluded us for -" he saw her phone, his face dropped.

"Chat? Chat?" Her voice sounded distant, the bottom of the Eiffel Tower was falling beneath him.

"Chat, do you know who that is?" ladybug had tears in her eyes. How did she not see it before? He inspired her to go into fashion design and now, poor Adrien.

She hadn't seen Chats proper reaction. "Chat he has a son, it says here he wanted to combine the miraculous to bring back his late wife. Oh Chat, its romantic but that's one thing that even the miraculous cannot do. They can extend life, youth, but not re-create a life that already existed and has moved on. It would have been awful, an empty shell, soulless."

She stopped her garb as the realised Chat was getting ready to leave.

"Chat, wait-"

"I'm sorry ladybug but I have to go now, Ill – goodbye -" with that Chat Noir flung himself into the night with nothing but his lady's screams in his ears.

Lady bug collapsed on the floor. Flooded with shock and rejection. She would have chased him. Even being naked she would have chased him but her yo-yo was trapped inside the folds of her suit. She knew, as soon as he hit the first roof top, she knew he was gone. She had lost him.


	2. 5 years later

"CHAT! CHAT! WAIT! COME BACK!" Her screams rang through the darkness.

He had failed her. He had failed his lady. How could he live with himself after such a thing. He could never reveal himself, how would anyone understand. He did the only thing he could. He ran, ran as far as he could before he turned back into Adrien. His phone still ringing in his pocket. Sitting in a park in the middle of nowhere. Howling in rage and sadness.

"wake up, wake up, wake up" Plagg was poking his cheek looking and sounding thoroughly depressed. "you told me if I made sure you got up you would get me cheese" even the thought of cheese didn't bring a smile back to his partners face any more.

Just a dream, a recollection of a lifetime ago. 5 years had passed since he last saw his lady, standing alone on that fateful night. Plagg reminded him everyday. He recalled their last discussion about it.

* * *

"Kid, you haven't transformed in years, I'm a god! Not a pet" he had huffed

"Vessel to the gods Plagg, don't get ahead of yourself, just tell me who she was" Adrien put emphasis on the word 'vessel' as his tone demanded, frustrated after his long timed continual proposal.

Plagg looked at Adrien with his set scowl "No way! You wanna find out, go back to Paris and find her, she's still around you know that from the lady blog"

"I cant, Plagg, you know I cant, how can I face her after all this time, all this that has happened"

"The same way I'm going to face my other half!" Plagg's face was screwed up in pain. "Everyday I'm away from Tikki I feel my power getting less. I need her to help me recharge properly"

"Give it a break Plagg, you get enough cheese to feed an army of kwami, any way, you weren't with her for the first 4 years so how did you recharge then mm?"

"There's a vicinity radius." Plagg retorted "Tikki must be weak too. Your ladybug wont be able to keep up soon enough without us around"

* * *

Adrien sighed. Just recalling the conversation made his brain hurt. He knew Plagg was right, he had seen the Ladyblog reports and knew she didn't patrol every night any more. Sometimes it was less than twice a week. He knew he would have to go back, but not now, not yet, he wasn't ready.

As if like destiny was calling, his phone started to ring. After 3 years of university and 2 years to complete his masters, he was finally ready to do as had always been planned for him. He was going to run his fathers business. He had already found the perfect location to set up headquarters in London.

Plagg heard him make a few humming noises down the phone and the little kwami fell off the bed when Adrien suddenly started shouting down the phone. What was going on? He had ever seen his kitten so angry and ...scared. Not even in the first days of the Akumas.

"NO, NO, WHAT DO YOU MEAN LEGISLATION- I CAN RUN MY BUSINESS ANYWHERE I LIKE-WHAT!?" he slammed his phone down cracking the screen in the process.

"Pack your bags Plagg... we're going home, to Paris"

 **A/N: I imagine Plagg being excited and smug and doing loop the loops in the air and dancing with his Camembert and singing**

* * *

Marinette kissed his forehead and let her fingers stroke his soft hair. His arms wound up around her neck pulling her down to his level.

"I love you" he whispered into her ear.

She smiled, an ear to ear smile. She couldn't imagine her life without him "I love you too, with all my heart and soul"

He kissed her cheek gently and started playing with her hair in return. "what about daddy?"

Marinette smiled, he was young but not a day went by without him asking about his father. "He'll come back" she smiled "I trust him"

The little boy before her sat on his bed with his legs crossed holding his beloved stuffed toy of Chat Noir, despite having never seen the hero in his lifetime, he felt a special connection with the figure.

His thick mop of blond hair and green penetrating eyes. "Why did he go?"

Marinette sighed. "I told you Louie, 100 times I've told you" she tickled him as she said it and they both giggled "I love you, I love him, he loves you even though he doesn't even know you but he had to go away and do something. But he will be back" she smiled confidently at him

"what something? When will he be back?" she sighed a big sigh.

Louie was 4 now and there was no way she would be able to keep this up much longer. He was so intuitive for his age and she didn't have the answers for his questions, plus she knew this was a stalling tactic for bedtime.

"I don't know my little kitten, now get some rest" she kissed his forehead again and left him in his room.

"mummy!" her eyes rolled

"yes?"

"I need a drink" her head rolled forward.

"oooooh I need a break" she muttered to herself as she walked down to the kitchen to get him a glass of water.

30 minutes later, Louie was finally asleep and Marinette sat down to read a good book. In the book there was a young girl who got pregnant and her partner had left her. After a while she gave up trying to read. So much of the emotions were too close to home.

"Marinette, are you ok?" the familiar voice of her kwami Tikki came from behind her.

"I'm ok Tikki, just having an emotional day, how are you? Would you be up for a run?"

Tikki gave a small sad smile. "not tonight Marinette. I'm scared, I've never been so far away from Plagg for so long. He must be feeling the same. If one of us was inactive it wouldn't be as bad" She rushed on with the scared look on her chosens face "but I really don't want to go inactive. I just need to rest more than usual and save our strength for when we actually need it"

Marinette looked at her little Kwami, her sad red face and big blue eyes, she felt so bad for her. "I wish there was something I could do for you Tikki"

Tikki patted Marinette on the head comfortingly. "We are both missing our other halves. Its ok"

Marinette drifted off slowly. Whether it was the book or the conversations she had that day, she didn't know, but her mind took her straight back to that dreadful night that changed her life forever.

 **A/N: Im trying really hard to get the formatting right on these stories. I really hope that despite any glaring errors that you enjoy them. Im always delighted at the lovely nice reviews people write and please remember if you need to point anything out, "positive criticism" Thank you, next chapter coming soon. - Bug-out.**


	3. The Truth

**A/N - sorry this one is mainly a flashback chapter, I really hope you are still enjoying this fanfic. Its silly but I tear myself apart over these things despite the fact I'm writing these more for myself than anything else.**

She got dressed as quickly as possible, she had to try. She swung out her yo yo in the direction Chat had vanished into the night. She must have searched the whole of Paris. As the sun started rising she reluctantly made her back home. She slid down into her room. It was a mess. She was so quick to shower and make herself presentable for the reveal she had knocked most everything over with her clumsiness. Tiredness and loss swept over her stomach like a cannon ball had been dropped into her. She de-transformed and curled up on her bed. With nothing to do but cry.

It was early afternoon by time she woke up, on her bed still clothed from the night before. Her room still a mess, but she knew where she needed to go. She was glad school had finished. Luckily the design school she was enrolled in didn't start for another 4 weeks. She ran through the bakery, not stopping at her parents reactions, and didn't stop running till she reached the familiar door of master Fu.

He answered with a solemn look.

"Master fu, please, tell me, where has Chat Noir gone?" she broke down into sobs again.

As he ushered her in and sat her down and made her some tea. "I feel his presence is ever dimming, he's fleeing, escaping."

With this Marinettes sobs heightened "shhhh, marinette, it is ok, the cat and the ladybug do not stay apart for long. This is why I gave you both the miraculous. It is fate. One can run, one can fly, one can delay, but one cannot escape their own destiny."

Marinette calmed down. "I'm glad you came to see me Marinette, there is something I need you to do for me. I need you to lay low for a while"

Marinette looked up questioningly and he continued, "without your other half people will become suspicious of your identities. If you both take a well deserved brake then news will die down and people will need to gossip no longer."

"how long do I have to not be ladybug?" he studied her carefully, a small knowing smile appeared on his lips and Marinette wished she understood what it meant.

"about a year, maybe longer, you may go out during this period of respite but only at dusk and return before midnight. You use the time to burn off energy. No patrolling, no fighting."

Marinette tried to argue her case "don't worry ladybug, cat noir will return soon" and with that Marinettes knew the conversation was over.

* * *

A few weeks later Marinette was once again rushing around the house. One minute she was helping in the bakery. Her mother brought out a fresh batch of her special onion bread. The next minute she was in the bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet.

"Marinette, that's the forth day in a row now" Tikki said concerned for her Chosen, her friend.

"urgh! I must have got some bug or something" Going upstairs to her room she collapsed on her bed. Her attention was brought to the calender on the wall.

"one more week till I start college Tikki" she smiled, then something else caught her eye. A little red dot on the corner of one of the dates.

"Tikki.. I'm late" Marinettes face fell, sometimes she was oblivious, other time things just clicked. "no no no no" she started flipping madly through the calender counting days encase she had miscalculated.

Tikki started giggling "Marinette your always late, what are you late for this time?"

Marinette turned even paler. "my period" she managed to get the words out before she ran to the toilet to empty her stomach contents once more.

* * *

There it was. A little cross in a box that changed her life forever. She was planning on living at home whilst she attended the design college anyway but now she would have to do something about other plans.

"What are you going to do Marinette?" Tikki asked gently patting her shoulder with her small paw like arm.

"I-I don't know, - something, I guess" her expression was of shock. She couldn't take this in. she was still so young, so much to do. She didn't even know who chat noir was let alone how to contact him any more. She needed help.

* * *

A few weeks later Marinette invited her closest friends to her parents house for dinner. "I wish Adrien could have been here with us, I miss the dude" Nino voiced just before Marinette started putting the dinner on the table. Her eyes fell. She also wished he could be here but for this news, but in other ways she was glad he wasn't, he was a good friend but her crush lingered with her. She returned to the kitchen to get the last of the food as her parents and friends joked around with each other.

"Marinette, you don't have to do this, not if you don't want to. I mean its ok now Hawk-moth is gone but..." Marinette looked lovingly down at her little kwami interrupting her voice of comfort.

"Tikki, I need help, with Chat not around and the gods know when he will be back... I wanted to tell them anyway so I suppose... when is a better time right?" she smiled "If they're going to pass out with shock they might as well have two shockers at once" Marinette looked calm but her kwami knew she was nervous.

It was after the meal, her father started to get up to clear the things away. Marinette breathed. Now or never

"Wait papa, before you get up, I have something I need to tell you all." she looked down at her plate as everyone saw her expression and felt worried. She looked at them all. She needed to be brave and face them as ladybug. "Now the danger has passed and hawk-moth is gone, its time you knew. I'm Ladybug"

the scene that unravelled wasn't quite what she expected. Nino sighed and pulled his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and passed some money over to Alya who had an all knowing smirk on her face. Her Father and mother were smiling at her.

"is that all dear? We already knew that, but thank you for telling us, it means a lot that you can trust us with your secret" Her mothers response was calm and collected.

"how long have you known!?" Marinette couldn't believe it. "and you too Alya?"

"we knew from the beginning my sweetheart, mothers know these things" she smiled sympathetically

"Alya?" Marinette repeated, Alya just grinned

"I had my suspicions at the start, I know you tried to cast doubt on that which worked, for about 6 months. I made a bet with Nino" she waved a couple of notes in her hand before reaching to put them in her purse

"Well I suppose Tikki can have a bit more freedom now" Marinette smiled and relaxed a little as her kwami flew out from seemingly nowhere.

"Ahh, hello again Tikki" Marinettes face really fell this time.

"mama! Tikki! You've met and you never told me!?" Tikki rubbed her head smiling sheepishly.

"well its a long story and I thought I'd convinced you mother that I was a fairy" Tikki shrugged.

Marinettes mother smiled and shook her head. Nino was on the other side of the table and almost fell off his seat in shock but Alya didn't bat an eyelid.

"Tell Trixx I said hello" she gave the kwami a wink as Tikki giggled and nodded.

The table started to relax a bit and exchange stories of times they had almost caught her when Marinette spoke up. "wait, there's more" Tikki flew up to Marinettes side and bowed her head almost reverently. Marinette felt the pit of her stomach as a new wave of nerves hit her.

"Im pregnant" This time silence fell, faces fell.

"wh-wh-what? Whos the father?" Alya was the first to respond as her journalist instincts kicking in.

Marinette let a tear fall. "Chat Noir"

Marinette had spent the rest of the evening explaining to them what happened on the Eiffel Tower that night and how she hadn't seen him since. At the end of reliving that awful night she broke down in tears.

"so hawk-moths defeat, that makes you.. 9 weeks already!?" Marinette nodded slowly.

"I've already spoken to the college about it. I'm fine to continue this year but depending on when the baby comes Ill need to take some time off. They said they can stay my place in the course so I can pick it back up when I'm ready"

Her mother hugged her, "its ok Marinette, we will be here for anything, I mean anything you need. You can stay here for as long as you like, we will babysit, whenever. Even at the last minute. Its ok"

Marinette truly broke down into sobs.

Marinette slowly opened her eyes. "mummy, mummy, mummy, can I have toast with jam for breakfast" She gazed into his green eyes and blonde bed hair. She must have fallen asleep on the couch. Again. "of course darling" she stretched and looked at the time. At least with a human alarm clock who refused to sleep past 7am she was rarely late any more. "mummy, mummy" "ok, ok I'm coming!"


	4. Back in Paris

**A/N sorry for the short update, I had an amazing inspiration for another story and ive been writing both at once. Dont worry, more to come on this story soon. I have another 4 chapters at least ready to format and upload. But keep an eye out for my next story coming soon - bug out -**

The flight back to Paris didn't take long at all. He walked from the car to the doors of the Agreste mansion.

"I never wanted to come back here"

he looked up deciding he would run the contractual stay of a year and demolish this place and leave and never return. He turned around to avert his gaze from the prison of his youth only to see the Eiffel Tower in the distance. He smiled at the memories before the aching in his chest started once more. It was so hard to think of her.

Adrien absorbed the sights as he walked down the streets, mostly unchanged, his beautiful city. He had forgotten how much he loved and missed it. Although that building over there looked new. He noted it in his mind to climb it later on, if he still had the ability.

He found the address he was looking for and hesitated. "just knock kid and get it over with"

Adrien hushed his kwami and knocked on the door.

"Hi master Fu" Adrien stumbled shyly.

Master Fu looked furious before dragging him into the small apartment by his ear. He almost threw him down on the chair and held his hands out for Plagg to land in. "Plagg, has he treated you well"

Plagg looked over at Adrien with a devilish grin. Adrien panicked, of course he had treated Plagg well but Plagg has a wicked sense of humour

"Master Fu!" he exclaimed pretending to fall over with weakness on his elderly hands "he starved me, beat me, he was relentless"

Adrien was scared. Really scared. He did none of those things but Mater Fu didn't know that.

"Well at least Plaggs back to normal" he said chucking kwami over his shoulder who grinned and zoomed to play with his friend waizz.

Adrien continued to sit in shock till he managed to compose himself. Master Fu was texting on his phone. "ill get Tikki a check up, just to make sure." Adrien became solemn.

"Master Fu. I'm sorry. When I found out Hawk-moth was my father, I ran, I'm ashamed, I couldn't handle it" master fu was looking mad again

"BOY! You are not the first cowardly cat I've had in my charge by far! It is not me you need to apologise to. Just as your friend Plagg here has been weakening without his other half, your other half has also been weakening!"

Adrien had never thought like that before. "Ladybug, is she ok?" Adrien became overly concerned for the only woman he had ever loved.

Master Fu found his voice again "AND ANOTHER THING! Don't come here acting like your sorry and you have come here out of remorse. I read the news, you didn't want to come back here at all! Your only here because you were made to come. I choose the cat miraculous holders carefully for their honesty, integrity, loyalty, you have a lot to prove"

Adrien fell to his knees, real remorse filled his soul. "here" he held his ring to master fu. "I should have done this years ago, please, take it, I don't deserve it"

Master Fu looked at him and huffed. "In some ways I wish I could, but you and the ring are sealed. I cannot pass it to another as you have already made yourself one with your ladybug. You cannot give it up, unless you both decide to"

Master Fu studied Adrien closely. He chose his words carefully knowing that he was probably still unaware of the situation he had gotten himself into. "You need to talk to her, a lot has happened in your absence. You will need to work hard to regain her trust"

Adrien sighed and nodded. He knew he had messed up, he still loved her, he ached for her, not a day had gone by when she wasn't his first thought in the morning and his last at night. "how can I face her?" the words came out strangled.

"mmm well, give her time, space if she needs it. Her heart has always belonged to you and no-one else but you will need patience. She is loving, forgiving and understanding. I imagine you will hold more regret over your actions then she will" there was a twinkle in his eye as he said it and not a moment later he shooed him out the door.

Finding himself on the streets of Paris again he looked around to breathe in the smell and the cool fresh air. He really had missed this place. He caught the scent of bread from a nearby bakery. Warm memories flooded his mind of another Blue haired girl who was close to stealing his heart at one point. If there had been no ladybug then he could only imagine he would have been with her.

He dug his phone from his pocket and text a number a small message. 'I'm back, meet up at 4pm?' He hesitated to put his phone back in his pocket before it started ringing. Ninos face appearing on the screen to let him know that his best friend had got the message and was keen to catch up. Adrien smiled as he answered. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.


	5. Meeting with the Master

Marinette was working from home today. She held full-time job with a fashion magazine but longed to be doing the design rather than the write up. Alya helped her a lot with her articles. Proof reading them and suggesting changes to the wording. Her best friend was invaluable to her in every way.

She looked up from her work. It was her day off and she always used that time to sketch and make her own designs where she could. She often got a small commission from them which helped her treat Louis to day trips and other fun events that they could do together.

Her phone buzzed as a text message came in. 'please bring Tikki for a check-up at your earliest convenience – Fu'

she looked around, Louis didn't have playgroup today so he was happily sitting playing on the tablet, educational games of course. "Hey Louis?"

The little boy looked up smiling at his mother. His eyes sparkled in the light coming in through the window.

"Fancy a visit to nanny's for a while?" She smiled as she knew what the reaction would be, and he didn't disappoint.

Before she could say for how long he would stay there or any other details he had his backpack on and was trying his best to get his shoes on the wrong feet.

"here honey" Marinette smiled at him adoringly "let me help."

she helped him with his shoes, grabbed her keys and her purse, slipped into the other room and whispered "Tikki, Master Fu wants to see you"

The kwami had more energy than Marinette had seen in years as she buzzed from her hiding place giggling "I thought he would" she said happily with an all knowing air in her statement. She whizzed into Marinettes purse, eager to be reunited with her own other half.

A short while later Marinette was at her parents begging them to not give Louis too many cakes and sweets. "Don't worry!" her mother consoled her "we managed with you and we will manage with him"

they both looked over to see her father holding him in the air and whizzing him round like an aeroplane. She gave a mother a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you mama, I owe you!" Sabine smiled thoughtfully "Give master Fu our best" and with that Marinette turned and left the shop speeding round the corner, eager to see what had got Tikki so giddy.

The words hit her like a bombshell. She even dropped her cup of tea, a reaction which Master Fu had predetermined, his kwami was hovering under it to keep it from spilling on the floor. She found it hard to find the words, it was like a dream. In fact she had this dream only a few nights ago. She pinched herself. Nope, definitely awake.

"hes – he-he's, he's really back?" she stammered unable to take control of the whirring of her thoughts.

Tikki was happily dancing in the room having clearly regained strength from the proximity of her other half. Master Fu watched her delighted at her speedy recovery. He turned to look closely at Marinette.

He let out a sigh "please ladybug, give him and yourself time. Patience is key here"

Marinette looked at him, unable to comprehend her feelings.

She stood up suddenly. "where is he" she looked around the room expecting him to be hiding in a cupboard or something "I'm going to kill that stupid cat!"

Master Fu brought his hand up to silence her. It was only out of her utmost respect to master Fu that she stopped her rant.

"Please Marinette, he has had his reasons. He might not want to tell you straight away, please be patient with him. He is probably the unluckiest Cat we've ever had charge of." he looked very solemn.

"And maybe..." his words trailed off and Marinette looked at him expectantly. He let out another long sigh. "Maybe don't let him know about Lewis yet."


	6. Catching up

Marinette was talking on the phone as she rode the bus home "I'm sorry mama, its just something came up."

Sabine was as quick on the ball as ever with her reply "Marinette, you know we would have him anytime, its not a problem. But what's happened? Is-is he -is he back?" the last part of her sentence trailed into a whisper and she knew the answer from her daughters sigh in response.

"Don't tell Lewis, I need to sort things out first, it may take a few weeks." she paused and bit her lip, wondering if she should really be voicing these thoughts out loud on a public bus. "its just- I've waited so long for this to happen – now I don't know what to feel"

she couldn't see her mother on the other end of the phone but she could feel the warmth and comfort of her smile. "I understand," Sabine replied "time my dear, and patience. I'm sure all will work out"

* * *

Adrien had sometime to kill before meeting Nino, he wondered around the familiar streets and ended up outside a very familiar bakery. By far the best in Paris he thoughtfully smiled to himself. He pushed the door open just as Sabine was hanging up the phone. "OH ADRIEN!" she shouted and ran round the counter to hug him. "Its been so long! How long are you here for? Here take a seat I'll get you something to eat, you look so thin, your as bad as our Marinette" she smiled fussing over him, mothering him.

Adrien heard some giggling from the back of the house but didn't inquire. "thank you Mrs Dupain-"

she cut him off shaking her head. "Sabine, please Adrien"

He smiled at her, "thank you Mrs...Sabine" he caught himself as she raised her eyebrows at him "I cant stay but I couldn't not stop by without picking up one of the best croissants in France"

She blushed at him and put 5 or 6 in a bag, "here dear, on the house."

Adrien smiled, he knew better than to argue with her. Thanking her graciously he turned to leave, he hesitated. "er...Mrs...Sabine? Hows Marinette these days?"

Sabine eyed him suspiciously. She had known the likely truth for a while, she hadn't told her daughter. Her daughter had pleaded with Tikki to not tell her his identity. She needed him to reveal that to her. She smiled warmly at him. "she s good, I'm sure you will catch up with her soon enough" He took that as his cue to leave.

Walking to the bar that Nino had told him to meet him at. It was a new bar called 'The Lady' with a picture of a black cat chasing a butterfly. He felt that pang in his heart once more. How apt the signage was with his former life. He was going to have to face her sooner than later. He walked into the room which was decorated cosily. He saw Nino and Alya waiting for him.

"oh Adrien" Alya sighed and pulled him into a deep hug.

When she let go Nino threw his arm around his old friends shoulder "Dude, how long you down for?"

Adrien let out a long sigh, "Well at least a year to sort out the legislation stuff about my Fathers empire. Apparently I cant move headquarters from Paris until a year of working from here for some unknown reason. The lawyers handle that stuff."

His friends were elated. They soon got chatting catching up and reliving old times. He frequently emailed them or spoke to them on the phone but more just to keep in contact then anything else. Alya was recalling one of the times Marinette had fallen into his lap during school. He was laughing at the memory.

"Oh boy, she had such a crush on you back then" Alya smiled reminiscently.

Adrien almost spat out the drink he was drinking "wh-what!?"

Alya and Nino laughed mercilessly. How could their friend be so oblivious! Alya caught her breath. "Hang on, she confessed to you? Didn't she?"

Adrien racked his brains trying to think and a memory of talking to her not more than a few months before he left "ooohhhh..." he went a bright shade of red "I didn't know she was- well she said- oh god I'm an idiot" he hid his face in his hand whilst his friends doubled up with laughter all over again.

Nino gripped his shoulder "hey man, don't sweat it. It was a long time ago and she has Lewis now anyway"

An odd pang of jealousy came to Adrien which he dismissed rather than dwell on it. Alya added to Nino's comment. "yes, that's true" she added thoughtfully.

Adrien didn't want to pry. If Marinette was happy with another man then that was great, he would love to see her again sometime but he didn't want to get in the way of anything. The look on Alya's face was a little sad though. Maybe she wasn't happy with this Lewis.

"So, is she a big designer now?" he added changing the subject.

Again Alya's eyes went sad "no, she managed to find a job in a fashion magazine, she wanted to go into her own business designing but, well it didn't work out"

"Well I'm looking for a designer" Adrien stated. "I know Marinette always had an eye for it. If she drops by her portfolio Id love to consider her for the job. My father was always the design genius. I just modelled and now after Business school... well I can draw stick men" he laughed rubbing the back of his neck "unfortunately I'm more …. destructive than creative"

Alya was already tapping out a frantic message on her phone. And a reply within moments. "says, she will drop it round tomorrow after work if that's OK?"

Adrien was shocked at the fast reply but nodded. "oh, tell her if I'm not in then leave it with my assistant, oh- and-say hi-from me" he smiled and Alya nodded returning his smile with an all knowing sparkle in her eyes.

Marinette had always had a special place in his heart. She was fun and kind and one of the few friends that genuinely seemed to care for him and not his money. He felt bad when they lost contact but always asked to see how she was. He had herd the name Lewis crop up in conversation before. It seemed like he wasn't that good for her. Last time he heard the name he had been driving Alya mad with his antics and Marinette was being run ragged. Hopefully things were better between them now.

Adrien glanced at the clock behind the bar. "shoot, sorry guys" he hugged them both "I got to go but Ill see you again? Really soon, I promise"

he smiled and waved at his friends as he quickly ducked behind the bar into a small ally. "This is it Plagg."

"about time!" the kwami huffed turning his back to him

"claws out"

 **A/N - sorry for the long delay in updates, hopefully will crack out some more over the next week. Im not happy with where it went in a couple of chapters so Im going to spend some time rewriting it. keep the reviews and comments rolling, I love them, and thank you all for following my story. - Bug-Out -**


	7. Loves Reunited

It was exhilarating, hurtling across the roof tops of his beloved city like he had ever been away. There were one or two differences. A new house here and a construction site there. But otherwise it was all too much the same. Then he saw her. Her back was to him and she was standing at their spot on the Eiffel Tower. He grinned mischievously.

She stood waiting for him. Master Fu said he would come. If he did or didn't it made no difference to her. Or did it. She looked up at the night sky. She did want to see him. Lost in thought she heard the familiar voice from the shadows in the beams above her.

"I hope you haven't been waiting long m'lady?"

he dropped down in front of her grinning, He was falling in love with her all over again. She pulled him to her and kissed him. Her fingers wound through his soft hair and he pulled her closer with his hands on her hips. His hand slipped up her body, feeling the curves he had missed.

As suddenly as it started he was pushed back and Ladybug slapped him. Hard.

"what was that for!?" his lips moved before his brain had engaged.

Her bluebell eyes were looking at him, en-blazed with fire. He was scared. She was speechless.

'Seriously, what was that for?' She thought incredulously to herself. She was breathing heavily, trying to keep her emotions in check. She still wasn't sure if she wanted to beat on him or make love to him. "you better have a good excuse" she growled

Chats smirk dropped. He should have expected as much. He just couldn't tell her. He couldn't bring himself to tell her that it was his father. Hawkmoth had been his father. "I could give you a million excuses, none of them fit for what I did and why I stayed away so long."

She huffed. That was not a good enough answer. Her thoughts strayed to Master Fu and her mother. 'patience.' She breathed deeply. "you left me" she said quietly.

"I'm sorry... I didn't want to..." Chat looked sad like he really meant it, he really didn't want to leave.

"were you forced? Kidnapped? LOST IN SPACE AND TIME!" Her emotions were welling up again. "IF YOU DIDNT WANT TO THEN WHY DID YOU!? WHY DIDNT YOU CONTACT ME OR SOMETHING?"

Chat flinched as her voice raised to become a desperate plea screaming for answers. She looked at him again, her piercing eyes. "you know what, you can patrol tonight, I think its your turn. Bug-out"

she swung her yo-yo and glided effortlessly over the rooftops. Chat watched her go and couldn't help but smile. His lady. In all her glory. He truly was home at last, and now he was here, he knew he shouldn't be anywhere else in the world.

* * *

He had a lot of work to do the next day but he slept in anyway. Back in his old room in the mansion he hated he was tired. It had been a long time since he went patrolling. His phone woke him up exploding with notifications from the Lady Blog. Looks like his return didn't go unnoticed.

He gradually got up and showered, letting Plagg have a well deserved rest. He smiled at the small kwami who seemed to have fallen asleep last night cuddling into a piece of Camembert. "Plagg, come on, its time to go" Plagg drifted sleepily into his pocket, curling up and going back to sleep with his beloved cheese still in his arms.

It was a long day. It was 6pm before he got home. He saw Marinettes portfolio waiting for him to peruse. It could wait till tomorrow. For now, he had a night on patrol. He suited up to find a message on his baton. There had been a lot of unread messages on there, built up over 5 years. He had read them all last night. Most of them were 'please come back and 'I miss you' this new one took a different tone.

'your turn tonight, don't expect to see me about anytime soon'

A message, he thought, was more than he deserved.

He got home around midnight and too full of adrenaline to sleep he decided to flip through Marinettes portfolio. Her work was still faultless as always. The first half was filled with drawings and design concepts and her notes on the inspiration around them. It was about halfway through when the drawings became more focused. Maternity wear, children's clothes. Then the next page.

"what!?" he said aloud. He was staring at a photo of himself as a child. About 3 years old but wearing one of Marinettes designs. He doubled back checking her qualifications. None about photography editing, Photoshop in design but not for photo editing. He turned back to the photo. It was surely him. Turning the pages he saw more and more children's clothes modelled by this small child. He came to see slight differences between this little boy and himself at that age. He would question her at the interview about the little model but her work alone, she definitely had first refusal of the job offer.

* * *

Marinette awoke to a small person lying in her bed with her. He must have had a bad dream and decided to cuddle up to her in the night. Now however he was bright eyed and bushy tailed, clutching his Chat Noir teddy and ready for the adventure of what life would bring him today.

"Is it playgroup today mummy?"

"yes, go get ready" Marinette replied groggily

after getting washed and dressed and breakfast Marinettes phone started ringing.

"Hello is this Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"

"yes"

"Excellent, I am the Personal Assistant of Mr Agreste-"

"What!" She spluttered almost spilling her coffee. Her mind raced, what did he want from her? How did he get hold of her. He was in prison for life.

"-junior" the assistant replied in a short tone

"oh, you mean Adrien?"

"yes" the assistant replied quite shortly, obviously thinking it rude to refer to her boss in such a familiar way.

"he would like you to attend an interview regarding your portfolio. Is today at 9:30 any good for you"

wow that was quick, she looked at the time, 8:20, she would have to change, she didn't start work till 11:00 today. If she used Tikki she shouldn't have any trouble making the journeys on time.

"Yes that would be great, what's the address?"

The assistant told her the address and she went straight to getting changed ready for an interview. What seemed like a whirlwind of minutes she was standing in the entrance hall of the Agreste Mansion.

"Wow! I never thought id be back here" she said to herself aloud. A chill ran through her spine as she saw Gabriel Agrestes office door shut tight and obviously untouched for years. A voice broke her out of her thoughts. A voice which still after al this time made her go weak and the knees and apparently trip over nothing in the hall.

"Mari... are you OK?" Adrien was smiling and helping her up after she fell. Seeing that she was blushing rather than actually hurt he allowed himself a chuckle. "Well some things never change do they?" He smiled warmly at her and indicated a door which led into the area he was using as an office.

He closed the door behind Marinette and indicated a seat for her to sit in. Adrien surveyed her carefully. He couldn't believe he was seeing her again after so long, his heart was racing. He coughed himself into reality.

"Marinette, its been so long! How have you been?"

"I've been well actually" she smiled at Adrien, his warmth and grace made her feel like a teenager again. "Lewis keeps me on my toes" she raised an eyebrow smiling "but I'm sure you've heard all about him from Alya"

Adrien didn't want to give his thoughts on the mysterious Lewis who had taken a place in Marinettes life and heart so he turned their attention to the portfolio.

"Marinette, based on the first part of your portfolio I am definitely interested in offering you a job here as lead design artist" he watched her face as it dropped in shock

"le-le lead design?" she managed to gasp out whilst Adrien got her a cup of water from the cooler in the corner.

"Yes Marinette, my father obviously used to deal with it all and I'm just not minded in that way. Despite his short comings though we kept the business running as it seemed like a waste of something beautiful to be honest. We've managed to scrape by in the top 10 leading designs using his work that never went public but we've ran out and we need people like you to help us hit the top spot again. My father – despite his short-comings – was an excellent designer and he always spoke highly of your work even though you were still a teenager at the time. I was glad to see you still have your amazing talent."

He had left her breathless again.

"I wanted to ask, where did you get this young model?" he opened her portfolio and pointed to a picture of a 3 year old boy beaming out at her striking a natural model pose. Her face lit up.

"That's Lewis. He's my son." she glowed with the light of a proud mother and it was Adriens turn to look shocked.

"your-your son? I thought Lewis was a tyrant of a boyfriend or husband!?" he was still shocked but she laughed.

"yes well, ill agree with the tyrant part, too much like his father for his own good" she smiled and seemed to drift away into a memory.

"who is the father?" Adrien said it and realised that wasn't a polite thing to ask and started to retract his question.

"its OK," Marinette sighed "Its a common question when your a single mum... I don't want to talk about it if that's OK? He's never even met him" Marinette looked a bit sad

Adrien could feel his blood boiling. Some guy who didn't have the decency to a father. Never even met the poor child. "I thought it was me at first, as a child" Adrien admitted shyly.

"well that's my second most popular question" Marinette grinned rubbing the back of her neck nervously and then learning in to whisper. "is he the secret love child of Adrien Agreste?" she raised her eyebrows and they both burst into fits of laughter.

"Yes-yes, I can see why people would think that, he looks like a cute kid, I actually feel sad I cant lay claim to him." he smiled at Marinette feeling his cheeks turn pink


	8. Feelings

**A/N: Hey, sorry its been a while, I have a super long chapter to edit for the next chapter and I need to start finishing the story (still not sure where it is going!) :D I hope you enjoy. I changed the spelling of Louis back to the French spelling, thank you everyone for your feedback, im trying hard to work this around being a full-time mummy to my own 3 little monsters so its not always easy. but Im really really thankful for all your support.**

Adriens lawyers worked quickly, before Marinette knew it she was working her dream job as a designer in Agreste Fashion. Adrien was a kind boss and would check in on her and her progress everyday. She had three more designers join the team and Adrien included her in the interview process as she would be leading the team.

She had been working for Adrien for a few weeks when it started again. He would come and check on her, sometimes spend most of the day talking with her as she drew designs. He even let her have making sessions where she could make some of the designs. She felt herself turn pink when she saw him. She found herself staring at him when he was in the room talking to another employee.

It was difficult. Chat Noir was now back in the picture and after 5 year of longing for him and hurting she found herself not knowing her feelings. It was like being a teenager all over again. Chat. Adrien, Chat, Adrien, her mind played over the two men over and over again.

It didn't help that the few times Adrien and Louis had met they had got along so well. Adrien seemed to really step into a father type role with Louis and Louis often cried when Marinette had to go to work and he wasn't allowed to come.

* * *

"Mummy, can we see Adrien today?" Louis big eyes bored into her own and she knew it was useless to argue.

"its my day off kitten" His eyes widened more and she sighed "Ill phone him, I'm sure he is probably busy though!"

She took her phone from her pocket and called Adrien, she caught a brief glimpse of his picture before she put the phone to her ear and her heart skipped a beat.

"Hey Mari, what's up?"

his voice as smooth as always didn't help her insides

"H-Hey A-Adrien" 'my gods Mari, get a freaking grip! He's your boss, you see him every day' she took a deep breath

"I have a little prodigy here begging to see you, if your busy then its fine, he understands."

The phone was snatched from her hand by the young boy.

"Adrien! Can we play today? You can come round here, mummy can get food from Nana and Papa and I can show you my new mega mech game. Pllllleeeeeeaaaseee!"

Adrien chuckled as he heard Marinette and Louis arguing over the phone. It seemed Marinette won.

"Adrien, I'm so sorry!" but Adrien cut off her apologise.

"Don't worry about it Mari, he's strong willed and knows what he wants, he has more of you in him then you realise" he smiled "I have a meeting but I'll head over straight after, probably around 11:30?"

Marinette nodded "ha, cha- his father is persistent also." she thought of all the times Chat would chase and flirt after her and even now he would message her daily to try and meet up. She still wasn't ready. "that's great, you really don't have to Adrien, thank you so much"

"Mari, its my pleasure, I just hope one day when I have children that I get one as great as Louis. See you later"

less than an hour later there was a knock at the door. "that will be Nana with our bakery feast" she smiled at Louis

"No no no its Adrien!" Louis squealed and ran to the door.

"Don't be silly kitten, he said he had a meeting and he will be here nearer to lunch" but he pushed past her and jumped at the door, not quite able to reach the high up door handle yet.

"No no its Adrien, I know it is, I feel it!" Marinette raised an eyebrow at him.

Louis had an uncanny knack for knowing things about her day or when she would be late, without her telling him. She often thought it may be because he was conceived whilst her and Chat were magically transformed. But he had never had a 'feeling' about anyone other than her, even his grandparents.

"Don't be silly Louis..." she opened the door and there stood one Adrien with a bag in each hand from her parents bakery and a very big smile.

"Adrien!" Louis jumped up and Adrien managed to catch him despite holding the bags.

Marinette stood a little shocked for a moment. How did Louis know, did he see the car maybe.. he must have. She closed the door as the pair made their way into the living room.

Adrien placed the bags on the counter between the kitchen and the living room and collapsed on the couch, Louis still in his arms.

"Oh" He moved to one side "who's this?" he pulled a stuffed toy out from behind his back where he had sat. "oh!" he grinned ear to ear "so who is the Chat Noir fan, you or mummy?" he raised his eyebrows at Louis.

"Both" Louis grinned "but he's my one, mummy's stays in her room with lady bug. They belong together just like mummy and daddy" Adrien felt a pang in his chest at these words, he didn't know if it was the fact that Marinette still held out for the absentee father or that he knew this kid was right, that Ladybug and Chat Noir belonged together.

Marinette came into the room. "what are you boys talking about now?" she smiled, having missed the conversation.

"I was telling Adrien about Chat Noir and Lady Bug!" Louis exclaimed

Marinette smiled "Adrien knows all about Chat Noir and Lady Bug, they were crime fighters when Adrien and I went to big big school together"

Louis looked up at Adrien in awe "did you ever meet them? Mummy met Lady Bug lots and she met Chat Noir a lot, Mummy tells me their stories all the time and Auntie Alya"

"Heh yeah kid I did" Adrien rubbed the back of his head and a far away look glazed over his eyes "Lady bug was fantastic!" he said dreamily and didn't notice Marinettes blush "so, who's your favourite? Mines ladybug."

"I like them both! They are a team, you cant have one without the other and that's why they are both sad now because they are both back but not together. Mummy loves chat noir, she says he's a sexy kitty and..."

"That's enough now" Marinette put her hand over Louis mouth, her blush very noticeable now and Adrien smiled at her and started laughing.

"Oh really, who would have known Marinette had a crush on Chat Noir" he laughed as Louis pulled his mothers hand away.

"She didn't crush him, she loved him, as much as she loves daddy" Adriens stopped laughing and looked at Marinette Quizzically.

He knew that as Chat and Adrien he had felt a connection with her and Chat had flirted with her a lot, but that was quite a statement for Louis to make.

"You loved Ladybug didn't you?" Adrien looked down at the boys statement as red started to creep up his cheeks.

"What happened to that game?" he chuckled as Lewis climbed off his lap and ran to the console.

"And what happened to that meeting?" Marinette looked at him.

"Ah, I blew it off, I didn't need to be there really, my assistant can handle it. Just please don't tell me you've been training Louis to be as good as you at this game?"

Marinette smiled in response, "I guess my good luck rubbed off on him a little" she winked, "good luck" and she sat down to watch them play and laughing at Adriens face knowing he was about to get his butt whipped by a 4 year old.


	9. Betrayal

**AN: soooo sorry that this has taken so long. Thank you again for your awesome reviews. I continue to apoligise for my lack of grammatical knowledge and incontinuity with spelling etc. I hope any errors can be looked over and the story enjoyed. I actually have 2 other stories Im working on but I wont start to publish them until this one is complete (or ill get very confused) Im going to do a mass upload of coontent (hopefully) over the next few days. its taken me sometime to get my head around the plot line and where I want to go with it. I had it all laid out nicely and then a review made me re-think the whole thing. but dont worry, its better than I ever could have thought originally so keep the reviews comming. Im so delighted with the amount of followers I have on this story Im so touched. I do plan on making some artwork for the covers when I am done but if anyone wants to do any inspired work then please do and message me and ill link it in on my notes. -bug out-**

Something about what Louis had said struck a chord with her. She breezed over the rooftops of Paris with the night air in her face. She was sad still, she did want to make things right with Chat, she needed to give him the opportunity to be a father. If she didn't do it soon she might never do it.

Adrien fit the role so nicely. Strangers to the fashion world often commented how much he looked like his father when they were out together. Adrien always smiled and never corrected their assumptions.

She landed at the meet up point. Chat was already there.

"M'lady, please, I know we cant pick up where we left off and I know I hurt you and I know I can never make up for the things I've done and you've probably moved on like I'm trying to but I need to know that we can be partners again, we knew each other so well and I want to have that back, can we please just start a fresh?"

His words stung her more than the icy air of the night. He was moving on. All those years, everything they had been through. She couldn't help it, she was so mad. This isn't how she planned on telling him. 'you know what' she thought as her hand balled into a fist 'he doesn't deserve Louis'.

Her hand was balled in a fist around her yo-yo but Chat was as oblivious, as usual, to her emotions. She was shaking with rage, betrayal. If akumas were still around and she certainly had enough rage to attract one, super-suit be damned, her emotions overpowered anything the super powers had ever given her.

Her voice was cool and calm. "Yeah, sure, I suppose that works, moving on. Anything I should know about?"

He let out a breath, relived that she seemed to have calmed down since their last meeting. "well actually its someone I work with as a civilian ..."

SLAP

"what the heck LB!" Chat managed to get out between being hurled to the ground and kicked hard in his side.

"YOUR SUCH AN IDIOT!" Ladybug screamed, tears running down her face.

"Bug-a-Boo...OW!" She kicked him in the side again insistent on causing him as much pain as she had been through the last 5 years.

"I – WAITED -FOR-YOU" she shouted in-between kicks and then straddled him, holding him to the ground so he couldn't try to run away again. Her thoughts went a million per minute but catching onto one 'How can I tell him, trust him, what if he runs away again and I have to break Louis heart, I cant do that'

She punched him in the face and he reached up and grabbed her hands so she couldn't hit him again. "LB for crying out loud, no one asked you to wait for me, you had that other guy you liked remember, you were never interested in me like I was for you."

She released one of her hands from his grip and started hitting him anywhere she could and sobbing hysterically. She stopped hitting him and continued in her crying "Yeah, of course Chat, because this is me not interested in you, that night we made love, again me not interested in you right?" she spat at him.

Her emotions were on a roundabout of rage and betrayal, sadness and even hate, bitterness, pain and that much less frequent spin of love and desire.

"Ladybug, i'm, - i'm – i'm sorry..." he really looked sorry but it wasn't enough and he knew it. "what can I do? What can I do to make it up to you?"

Tears fell silently down her cheeks. There was nothing. What could he possibly say or do to make up for 5 years of abandonment. Her thoughts turned to Adrien. Maybe it was time to go their separate ways. They let go of each other and sat there in silence for a while until one of them spoke.

It was Ladybug who found her voice first, Chat Noir wasn't daring to speak in case she started hitting him again. She might be a small woman but with her super powers and rage he could feel a bruise forming on his ribs and had a feeling one may even be broken despite his own suits protection.

"I confessed. To the guy I liked. I told him I loved him. There was someone else. I was crushed, I admit, I still have feelings for him. But I always knew that if I hadn't have met him, if he didn't exist, then it would have been you Chat." She looked up at him, her eyes sparking in tears and the moonlight.

"So... I was second choice? Back-up plan?" Chat managed to whisper a little hurt in his voice.

Ladybug glared at him "That is not what I said OR what I meant. If you think I was hurt by a kid at school what do you think I felt about my partner who I gave my whole self to and then he vanished."

"ok, ok, I get it. It was my first time too you know, but it was nothing to do with that, I loved you LB" He looked at her and she knew he was telling the truth.

"Loved?" the words fell out her mouth as the tears started to well up again. "past tense"

Chat Noir gulped, "I don't know LB, when I see you my heart skips a beat, I feel more at home then I've ever felt in my life. A connection beyond anything I've felt with anyone. But when I'm with this other woman... I've known her since I was 14, I cant help but, well, feel that way for her too, she has this kid, the fathers not around and he's the most amazing kid. I cant help thinking that I should be there. Be the man they so sorely need in their lives. Show them the love they deserve, the love I never had. I know you felt that way about the guy you liked, why did you never pursue it, or anyone else?"

Ladybugs tears were streaming heavily now "It was my first time, my only time" she looked up at him hoping he would understand the impact of her words. "When I realised I had lost you, I tried so hard to find you. As for the other guy, well, he was my friend and I, well, I see him a lot now. I still have those feelings for him. They don't go away. I thought they would after 5 years. But despite our friendship, I had... other things... to look after and I lost contact with him. I cant blame him for leaving Paris." she smiled a sad smile at Chat "his father was hawk-moth you know?"

Chats jaw dropped and the wind which was only a light breeze seemed to envelope him and take the air from his lungs.

"but, as close as we get to each other, I know to keep my distance. He plans on staying in Paris now, but, its not fair on him, or you. Chat. I need to tell you something."

Chat was still in shock from the most recent development. Ladybug, His ladybug had loved him in civilian form, and as his alter-ego. And worse, he had rejected her, at some point, he had so many confessions in those days, and still now, it would be impossible to narrow it down.

"Chat... You have a son."

Chat shook his head, This was too much to take in. "But...but... we only...it was once..."

"once is apparently all it takes. I don't want to get in the way of your new life, your new love, but its also not fair to Louis, he's wanted to meet you for so long." tears were falling again. "but I'm not ready yet. I'm so sorry, I just cant." She got up and swung out into the night.

Chat had no time or energy to follow. He felt like someone had hit him in the head with a frying pan. He sat there still processing the words that had been said to him. Finally he managed to let out one word which he breathed onto the wind. Nature was the only one to hear it.

"Mari?"


	10. Predicament

**A/N: just a short chapter, ive been experiencing a bit of writers block on the next few chapters so please bare with me! Im determined to finish this story before I start uploading my next one. Thank you so much for the reviews again, I honestly dont know what to say, Im just so happy that people are enjoying my story and the world in my head. -bug-out-**

"Plagg." Adrien had barely jumped in the window of his old room at the mansion before he de-transformed.

"Lady-bug, its Marinette, isn't it?" Adrien couldn't keep the plea out of his voice. 'please please let it be her'

Plagg drifted lazily across the room "I'm tired and I need cheese" he moaned.

Adrien ran his fingers through his hair, griping it tightly at the top. The stress was more than he had ever felt in his life. How could this be happening? If ladybug was Marinette, this would mean he loved the same person, and she did too. This could be great, amazing even but he had left, he needed to know.

"Plagg, please, I'll do anything, I need to know! Is ladybug Marinette?" Adrien was on his knees but this point.

Plagg looked over at him with narrowed eyes "who's Marinette again? Cheese first then we talk terms"

Adrien scrambled to his feet and scrambled out the room, he knew he had a vintage roll of Camembert he was saving for the perfect time and this was it. Nothing bribed Plagg more than cheese and the right timing needed to be perfect. This was it.

Almost dropping the cheese twice as he raced through the mansion back towards his room he presented Plagg the cheese like a knight presenting the head of a slain dragon to his king.

Plagg grinned and knew he had the upper hand here. He drifted towards the cheese letting his nose guide him towards the smell. Adrien cut a small kwami sized piece off the wheel and Plagg held it close to his body. He smelled the cheese and licked it and then a small bite and swishing it around his mouth like he was tasting a fine wine.

"Please Plagg" Adrien had tears in his eyes, he felt his heart may break or explode at any second.

"my conditions..." Plagg looked amused at his new form of torment. "I want double cheese rations, the good stuff, not the cheap stuff."

"ok, ok, no problem" Adrien looked at his kwami, if Plagg had wanted he would had tripled, quadrupled the cheese.

Plagg flew in a loop-the-loop and gulped down the remaining part of the slice. "I cant wait to see Tikki again, I just want to hold her and snuggle up with her, bugs give the best tummy tickles you know, I"

"PLAGG PLEASE!" Adrien begged

"wha- oh yeah, yeah its Marinette, come on, suit up, I wanna see Tikki now!" Plagg hovered by Adriens ring waiting for the transformation words.

Adrien collapsed on his bed. It all made sense, his feelings, all these years, Louis. "Plagg-"

Plagg braced him self in a star position ready to be sucked into his chosens ring "Plagg- I – what have I done?"

For some reason Plagg had not expected this. Adrien started sobbing into his arm which had draped across his face, almost as if to hide himself in the shame.

"what have I done?" he repeated with his sobs getting more intense.

Plagg rounded on him, he was never good when it came to the emotional part of his kittens and this time he was being kept from Tikki. "What have you done?" Plagg kicked Adriens arm from off his face. "You have kept me apart from my other half for over 5 years! Go now. NOW! I WANT TO SEE HER! I told you so we could go and make this right, go now. NOW!"

Adrien had never seen his little kwami so angry. "I cant, Plagg, I just cant, how can I face her now knowing what I've done to her, to you, to Tikki, she doest want to see me Plagg, I- Plagg, please, how do I fix this?"

Plagg huffed and turned his back on Adrien. "you fix this by being a man and going and telling Ladybug the truth and taking me to see Tikki"

"If I do that then Marinette will hate me forever. She will never want to come near me again, as Chat or Adrien and then we will neither of us be with our other halves" Adrien flopped his arm back over his face as silent tears fell down his cheeks.

He could feel the sobs catching in his throat edging to come back. He felt a small soft ball curl under his chin and felt the distinct purring of Plagg on his neck. Both closed their eyes and fell into an emotional sleep.


	11. Meetings of a different kind

**A/N: Hey! thanks again fro being patient with me and for all your lovely reviews. Ive been having a little bit of writers block but I think its getting there. hopefully its not getting to stagnant. I have a few more chapters knocked out and being edited ready for uploading so they shouldnt be too far behind this one. On a side note I have an awesome story in the works alongside this one which im really excited about but im mostly excited for this books sequal! its burning a hole in my brain so now I have to finish this story love you all - bug-out-**

The problem with emotional sleep is that you wake up puffy eyed and not really very well rested at all. He had slept in his clothes which were now wrinkled, his hair was a mess and he had shadows under his eyes. He had indents in his neck where Plagg had been sleeping and a line across his face where his arm had rested. He could hear his assistant knocking on his door.

"Sir? – Mr Agreste? The meeting starts in 15 minutes. It will take us 10 minutes to drive there. Sir? Mr Agreste? Are you awake?" he could hear her tapping on his door with her knuckles.

Crap. He had overslept and looked a mess, he had no time to sort himself out and here was his assistant ready to take him to a meeting with Chloe and her father about – something – he couldn't remember what or even if he had been told what it was.

He dragged himself off the bed and made a noise to confirm he would be ready in 5 minutes so his assistant left. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, pulled his hair back into a pony tail and let out a sigh in relief that it was long enough to that.

He quickly changed out of his clothes and into fresh ones and patted some concealer on under his eyes. He had found the stuff in his bathroom from his modelling days and he was glad he hadn't chucked it. It seemed more clumpy than he had remembered and it was 5 years old, but it did the job he supposed. He couldn't do anything about the lines on his face at the moment so he called to Plagg who flew to his pocket and made his way downstairs.

As he descended the stairs he caught a whiff of a beautiful floral smell and looked up to see Marinette walking through towards her office room. He smiled stupidly at her and she blushed and nearly bumped into a large flower arrangement.

"Your car is here Mr Agreste, after your meeti-" His assistant had been talking but he walked straight past her to Marinette.

"Morning Mari" he said, the stupid grin on his face unable to be wiped off and he felt himself get heated under the collar of his shirt.

"Morning Adrien" Marinette returned his greeting and blushed a little deeper to go with it.

"I- I hope you slept well?" Adrien managed to stutter out, he wasn't really sure what he was saying.

Marinette giggled "Better than you by the looks of it" She reached up and brushed his cheek with her thumb, where some of the powder had obviously not blended as well against his stubble.

Her hand stayed there, brushing longer than it needed to, green met blue, cheeks turned red.

"Mr. Agreste?"

Eyes blinked, a hand moved away. The moment however brief had ended and left Adrien feeling cold and lonely and desperate to feel Marinettes touch once more.

"Ah, sorry, um, what's the meeting about?"

his assistant sighed, "The mayors daughter wants to commission a designer dress for herself and demanded she meet with you. Its not something we would usually do" she pushed her glasses up her nose at obvious distaste to Adriens management methods. "but her father insisted and you gave it the ok-"

"Of course" Adrien smiled as he remembered. "Hey Marinette," he called after her as she reached the door of her office. "As my lead designer I'll need you with me today" He flashed a smile at her and the pink rose back to her cheeks.

"Road trip, m'la- la-late mother would say..." she seemed to buy his covered up words.

"Oh, well, yeah of course Adrien, Ill grab my sketch book." She went into her office and he heard her knock over two something's and trip over what he presumed was her chair. She returned to his side holding her sketch book and looking a little more flustered but pretending nothing had happened.

In the car, Marinette couldn't help but notice Adriens assistant looked a little annoyed with the change in circumstance. She wondered if his assistant maybe had a crush on Adrien too. Her thoughts drifted lazily to Chat as she stared out the window.

If his assistant liked him then maybe he would get with her? Jealousy wound its way around Marinettes stomach. But then she had Chat and why would Adrien want to be with her? A single mother of a one night stand from a superhero who no longer wanted her either. She sighed a small sad sigh.

She felt a hand on her knee. Looking up she was face to face with Adrien. "Are you ok Marinette?" he asked, voice smooth and full of calm and comfort and concern.

She felt her eyes dart to his lips and wondered what they would feel like. Her memories raced to kisses she had shared with Chat on that fateful night. Rough yet smooth, passionate and longing, hungry and full of desire for her. His ladybug.

"Mari?" she snapped out of her reverie once more.

"Oh sorry Adrien, I'm fine, I just- didn't get as much sleep as I wanted I guess" she smiled at him and he smiled back.

"cat nap for us both later I guess" he winked. She blinked but decided not to respond.

'Dammit Adrien get a grip! Your letting your Chat show'

The meeting with Chloe went surprisingly well, She had great taste and Marinettes expert skills made the meeting run a lot shorter than they had planned. Chloe and Marinette had put aside their negative feelings for each other a long time ago and now where actually good friends.

"I look forward to seeing it," she jingled as she talked "and Mari, I'm sure you understand that I needed it to be Agreste branded for this event otherwise I would have went to you anyway?"

Marinette nodded, and smiled, Chloe had been one of her best and most frequent clients for 2 years now and she was happy to be working for her again only this time in a more prestigious brand name.

They walked down the steps towards the car, chatting happily. "Did you want to go somewhere for a brunch break?" Adrien suggested.

"I'd love too-" Marinette started to reply as an alarm to an expensive jewellers down the street started beeping. "um- but – maybe – another time, I just remembered I have this thing- and its – near here and I- er - see you later-" she ran down an ally that lead to nowhere as Adrien laughed softly. If only she knew.

He turned heel and decided to follow suit round a different corner.

"hello bug-a-boo" Chat charmed in as he picked one of the robbers up on his baton.

"Leave me alone Chat!" She scolded at him "I can handle this on my own"

"come on LB, it will just be like old times" he held onto his pole as he felt it moving as the man on top tried to free himself somehow.

Ladybug swung her yo-yo out and caught the last of the robbers and tying then up together. "This isn't an Akuma Chat" she breathed heavy, and snapped the infinite string and adjusted the loop so they would stay put and she could still have access to her yo-yo "you need to-"

Ladybug pounced on him and sent him flying into the wall and his prisoner he had caught escaped and ran all in the space of a few seconds and a very loud bang was heard.

"Chat, - CHAT! Are you ok?" she felt his arms and torso.

"I'm feline fine m'day" he crooned back at her. "but maybe we can take this somewhere later after we have caught the thieves" he winked

She stood up and turned her back to him "Chat this is no joke. These are NOT Akuma and we are not immune to stabs and gunshots. We need to find that man." she swung off and he processed together the pieces. The wriggling man, he had a gun. Ladybug had saved his life.

Extending his baton once more he flipped himself up onto the roof. He could see police officers searching the area for the escapee as the others were carted off into a van. Ladybug in the distance swinging over rooftops also looking.

Closing his eyes he concentrated. He could have looked like he was sleeping. He stood still. His cat ear twitched. His head inclined. His eye snapped open and he jumped in the direction. He could hear the breathing of the man. He was a cat, a predator, on the hunt. Lady bug swung by.

"this way" he called out to her. She looked at him and ignored him.

His eyes narrowed. She really didn't trust him. He pounced on the rubbish bin the man had taken refuge in and held him still in a locked position with his baton against the mans chest and arms wrapped around the baton, drawing him back so the man yelled in pain.

Hearing the commotion Ladybug swung back and landed next to Chat. He held a fist out to pound but she ignored him. She tied him up with her yo-yo and pressed a button on her ear piece headset which chat only just noticed.

"apprehended, off regal ally behind the big house on the corner" she walked towards the light at the end of the ally dragging Chats prey behind her. She paused in her tracks, without turning she spoke to him. Voice full of anger, sorrow, loneliness and regret.

"This isn't a game Chat, we are not teenagers any more. I have responsibilities. There is so much more at stake. My ladybug charm doesn't fix non-akuma actions. If you get shot, stabbed, cut... the suit doesn't protect us from everything... I'm used to working alone. You compromised all of us today. Just - just stay away Chat"

She continued to walk away. Out of sight. Chat let his transformation drop. "what's the use Plagg?" he held out a slice of cheese for his kwami but for once Plagg ignored it in favour of talking to Adrien.

"Kid, just keep it up, she will see your hearts in the right place soon enough. She just needs to learn to trust you again. You can only do that by being there for her." Plagg took the cheese and zipped into Adriens pocket.


	12. Smoke and Fire

"Char Noir, I need you, come quick, at the school" Ladybug had barely hung up when Chat dropped by her side.

The last few jobs had seen a much more relaxed side of ladybug, allowing him to help and even laughed at one of his jokes. She had flirted back at their parting of ways and he was beginning to hope his luck was changing.

Another explosion from the far side of the school made them both duck. "Chat thank goodness your here, I'm just waiting on a report as to whose missing and how many. There are at least 3 students still caught up in there and the fire team cant get to them. I cant carry more than two by myself."

both headsets relayed the information.

'3 students confirmed still within the school, all other students are accounted for, 2 from the same class and 1 older student.'

"What classes were they in?" Chat asked in rushed tones.

'the two younger were in history and the older in art'

"related?" chat was on the ball today

'different surnames and we don't have any other information at this time'

"Chat, you take the history, ill take the art" no arguments, they worked as one team, constant communication as to where they were and their safety.

Ladybug dropped and slid under a crashing beam and hurdled over some lockers which had been knocked over by one of the explosions. She scowered the art rooms to no avail.

"I'm out LB, any luck?" Chats voice came over the radio headset.

"I've searched everywhere and I cant find him." she inhaled and let out a chocking cough of smoke.

"LB I'm coming in, two pairs of eyes are better than one"

Chat jumped back into the burning building which continued to pop when the flames found aerosols in lockers or chemicals in the chemistry lab. Following the path way to the art rooms he slid under a beam and heard the coughing.

"LB? LADYBUG?" there was no response but more coughing. "bug-a-boo!" chat shouted inhaling too much himself and coughing.

"over here!" a boys voice shouted from a corner somewhere. Chat found him and brought him out to the paramedics "LB I got him" chat spoke into the headset whilst the boy explained he was looking for his step-siblings, the twins who chat had rescued just before.

"LB?" Chat was still trying to contact her on the radio.

Panic started setting in. hat ran around to all the ambulance services and people he could find. No one had seen her after she went in the last time.

"no chat noir, you shouldn't go back in, the flames are reaching towards the boiler now and its too dangerous, either the building will collapse or you could get trapped" chat shrugged the mans hand off his arm.

"My lady is in there. Risking my life for her is my job, protecting her is my job, nothing will stop me doing that again, I love her." he ran in desperate to find her.

He kicked down doors and searched in lockers, he didn't know what had happened to make her stop communicating with him. But he could feel it was nothing good. His cat senses told him. He didn't have much time. More and more parts of the building were falling down overhead, twice his cat like reflexes stopped him being pinned by one of the beams.

His head was beginning to swim in the smoke and panic. Every glimpse of red had him scrambling over more and more rubble, tables, chairs. An old supply closet with a beam in front of the door. It took all his strength to remove the wedged beam and still no sign of her in there.

A squeak, he heard it, back in the room. He dashed back into the supply room and found ladybug almost passed out on the floor her legs and one arm trapped as the other continued to reach helplessly for her yo-yo and headset.

Trying to move the beam was useless, chat didn't waste much time before using cataclysm on the beam and rushing her to safety. How had he not seen her the first time, his mind was spinning even faster and he made it out of the building just in time before a tremendous explosion and the building collapsed in on itself.

He laid ladybug down for the paramedics to see to her. He could feel her weakening and as the paramedics were only feet away from him he saw the distinct glow of pink as she was losing the will to hold on to any form of consciousness. He had no time to think. Spinning round with the speed of a cheetah he grabbed the medical supplies and oxygen of the nearest paramedic, he grabbed his lady and vaulted to a nearby secluded rooftop.

He placed Marinette on the roof as Tikki rolled onto her lap also unconscious and spluttering. His ring beeped and he sobbed "Plagg claws in"

Plagg immediately saw to Tikki, with the millennia of experience he had he was much better suited to getting on with his task than having Adrien interfere.

Adrien shoved an oxygen mask onto Marinettes face and checked her skin for any signs of burns. Luckily it seemed it was only the smoke that had got to her. He held her in his arms for what seemed like hours but was actually only minutes. Her breathing became heavier and more calm. Plagg carried Tikki over to Adrien, she was awake but looked in terrible shape.

"Tikki, I'm so sorry, what happened, what should I do?" tears streamed down his face onto Marinette in his arms.

"I can help-"

"no!" Plagg interrupted her. "Your too weak, it will drain you, ill lose you, I cant lose you!"

Tikki held a small paw to Plaggs face "its ok" she smiled lovingly "look" she pointed at Marinettes chest rising and falling. "it wont be the same as last time."

Plagg let her go as she swirled her way back into Marinettes miraculous and Marinette transformed back into ladybug.

"Don't just sit there kid, get her down to the professionals!"

Adrien sniffed a few times "Plagg claws out"

The paramedics stood worried on the ground, looking at the rooftop where they knew their patient was laying. They saw Chat Noir slowly rise and slowly descend on his baton. News crews were everywhere. Chat allowed the paramedics to take away his beloved Lady but kept a close eye constantly whilst informing the news of what had happened..


	13. Healing

It had been 2 months since Ladybug had been severely injured by the fire at the school. Without her lucky charm it was impossible to heal and fix things straight away and she found herself longing for the days of Akumas. Chat had been amazing. He had phoned everyday to see how she was and even made and excuse for her as a civilian. As far as the world was concerned she had spent a month after the fire recovering from a broken wrist. Adrien had been so upset by this he had been around everyday to help in whatever way he could. She had never felt so confused about her feelings in her life. Adrien or Chat? She kept being told by everyone to follow her heart but her heart seemed to be spinning on a never ending teacup ride at the fairground.

After the first month off work with her 'broken wrist' as a civilian and the real reason of smoke inhalation and a broken rib as ladybug, she returned to work and patrolling the city of Paris. At work she was pampered by Adrien making sure she was really OK and what could he do to help her. Despite being her boss he almost seemed to play the role of her personal assistant, bringing her coffee and snacks from her parents bakery. She had never been more thankful for her job as ladybug to shift some of those extra pounds creeping on from her inactivity and a lot of eating baked goods.

Chat however was also all over her like a rash, she could barely make it from roof to roof without his worried glance. "He's worried, you nearly died Marinette" Tikki had scolded her when she had snapped at him after one patrol. She had gone easier on him. Tikki was right after all. She remembered her terrifying thoughts throughout the years that he had died but at least she had Tikki to be able to confirm his life force existence still.

Louie was his usual rambunctious self today. He was currently standing in the sofa wearing a pirate hat made of a sheet of newspaper (they had made at pre-school the day before) he wore a purple t-shirt which made his green eyes really noticeable and underwear.

"Louie, where are your trousers and socks? Will you please not stand on the sofa and no don't..." the next words were lost as he lifted his legs from under him and just bounced onto his bottom on the sofa. His eyes didn't leave the cartoon he was watching on TV even once.

She was trying to get him ready for going to her parents so she could check in with some designs at work, she didn't intend to be long but he was being stubborn today. He wanted to see Adrien and knowing his mother was going there he had adamantly refused to go to his grandparents house. Marinette had tried all her usual bribery and was beginning to realise she may not have any choice today but to cart him around with her. It was times like these she wished she wasn't raising his as a single mother.

She sighed and allowed her mind to wander as she picked up a trail of toys. She could see Chat playing with Louie, all happy families, how she would have to go out and she could sneak out and not have to dump him on her parents every time. She could see Chat pushing him on the swing, tucking him into bed, rubbing her pregnant belly with another little cat-bug inside.

Adriens lips and soft hair looking over her from a crazy steamy session whilst the kids were at school. Adriens hand in hers as he kissed up her collar bone to her neck, fingers intertwined with hers caressing her slender hand with engagement ring glinting in the sunlight...

'NO! Bad imagination! How can I really think of Adrien like this when I'm meant to be trying to patch things up with Chat'

She gave her head a physical shake trying to shake the mental images from her head or end up walking into work having to face her boss being very flustered.

"FINE! You can come, - no stop jumping on the sofa! - no look, where are your trousers! Go find them and put them on!" She shook her head again this time from the impending headache.

She downed a couple of paracetamol hoping they would kick in soon. She had a date with Alya tonight and she did not want to miss that. She had a meeting with Chat first though, he had been getting pushy lately to see Louie. She wasn't sure how to feel. She certainly found herself trusting him more and more and they seemed to have regained their partnership fluidity and even the teasing and flirty banter had been cropping up more and more.

She didn't know what was stopping her really. She kept putting it down to trust and how she would explain the heartache to Louie if he left again. He still hadn't told her why he left in the first place. But if she admitted it deep down it was more because she had been stuck in her ways. Raising Louie without a partner for so long. How would he cope being a father, especially with Adrien being a part of their lives and picking up the role too easily.

Marinette sighed again. Her car pulled up outside the bakery to drop off Louie after a long day of lugging him around to work and shopping and getting ready to go out on the town with Alya. Her thoughts had been plastered on her brain all day and the paracetamol had done little to help. 'Lets hope the wine does' she chuckled to herself.

She dropped the small boy off at her parents and turned the corner into a familiar deserted ally to transform to meet chat. She had guessed right. Chat stood atop the designated meeting spot waiting for her already and he had one thing on his mind.

"Ladybug-" she always knew when he was talking to her about something serious when he didn't use on of his many terms of endearment for her "-look we really need to make this work, even if we cant work, we need to do something, I love you and I want to be with you and Louie, I want him to know me, I want to give him everything I never got from my father. Please Ladybug I'm begging you"

Ladybug had tears in her eyes. He was right and she knew despite all he had done in the past he was trying his best to make it up in the present. "i-i-i'm sorry chat" her words fell from her mouth in sobs and Chat could tell she really was sorry. "I- I -i'm just not ready still"

Chats countenance deflated at the obvious rejection. It stung more every time. He moved close to her as she hunched her shoulders holding one arm obviously withdrawing into herself as a form of protection from her own emotions. He wrapped his arms around her and held her while her sobs calmed down. He stroked her hair and could smell her perfume she wore. The warmth of their embrace took her back to the days of safety, when she was a teenager, wrapped in her blankets in her room and daydreaming of Louie and Hugo and Emma, and the hamster which was also still waiting on its time to enter her life.

She took a deep breath. "ok"

"ok? -OK? - you meant it?!" Chat was obviously excited.

"I have things to do right now, plans, but meet me here tomorrow, we can start discussing logistics" she knew they would have to reveal to each other and she didn't want to do it and dash off to her girl date with Alya.

She leaned up and kissed him.

It was meant to be a kiss on the cheek but he for some reason had moved at the wrong time and she had planted a kiss right on his lips. Both shocked by the sudden touch of each others lips the memory of their first kiss flooded her mind. This was the first time she had even kissed anyone since. Before he had time to react her hand wound their way into his hair and she was pulling him deeper into her lips and he greedily returned the affection.

A police siren close by broke their attention, Ladybugs breath heavy and her cheeks red. "Ill take that Princess" he slid his gloved hand down her cheek wishing he could feel her skin to skin again.

He bounded off to pole vault away and he was caught by a yo-yo dragging him back. He smiled, his lady was very passionate once she got going but the face he was greeted with wasn't that of a 'come hither' or 'I'm not finished with you' she was pissed off.

Her face was red from anger rather than the passion they had shared only moments before. She stated one word, emphasizing each syllable "PRIN-CESS!"

'Shit...'

"How long have you known!? Why didn't you tell me!? I'm meant to trust you!?" she let him go from her yo-yo and paced angrily. While the nearby siren started to pass further and further away.

"Mari, I'm so sorry, I-" the sirens were getting quieter and the headsets in their pockets were going haywire. "M'lady I need to-"

she glared at him, he was rooted to the spot and realised that whatever the emergency was he would have to wait to attend.

"I've known for 6 months, I found out by accident, I'm so sorry I didn't say anything but, you see, I'm- you know me- I'm-" she held up her hand

"I don't want to know right now. I'm late to meet Alya" the guilty look when she mentioned Alyas name spoke a million words "ALYA KNOWS! GODDAMIT CHAT! WHO ELSE KNOWS!"

"Just Alya I swear! And again it was by accident she sort of sneaked up on me as a civilian and heard me talking to Plagg and well..."

Ladybug held her hand up to silence him once more. "I -" she started a sentence but couldn't finish it. She just swung out her yo-yo and left Chat on the silent lonely roof to try and pick up the pieces of the mess he had made... again.

 **PLEASE SKIP THE NEXT CHAPTER IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO TOPICS SUCH AS PHYSICAL ABUSE AND RAPE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**


	14. PLEASE READ AUTHORS NOTE - MATURE

**A/N: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT. IT ALSO CONTAINS PHYSICAL ABUSE AND INDICATIONS OF RAPE. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS A WARNING.**

 **If you do want to skip this chapter then you can by all means, I have tried to section it off for those who do not wish to read such content and still enjoy the flow of the story.**

Alya offered Marinette a ride home with her and Nino but Marinette refused. "Don't be silly Alya, I live almost round the corner, its not even a 5 minute walk"

Marinette giggled and swayed a little. She had over done it on the drink after what had happened. She reassured Nino who decided to make a move before Alya threw up in the car. Marinette turned to walk the well known path home.

She heard footsteps behind her. When she turned to look no one was there. The hairs on the back of her neck went up, her innate senses told her there was danger. She couldn't transform. She was certainly in no state to be Lady Bug right now. Hoping she had imagined it she carried on walking. Sure enough the footsteps started up again. She decided to speed up. The footsteps sped up to. The footsteps sped quicker then hers and just as she was passing an alley between two buildings a hand grabbed her arm and swung her into the darkness.

She was pined against a wall. One strong arm around her mouth almost suffocating her as she tried desperately to scream and breathe through her nose. She could smell drink and the faint smell of blood on the heavy man in front of her. She saw something glinting as a light hit something metal, glowing almost in the darkness. It was a knife.

"shhhhhhhh" the man leered as he used his free arm to pull the knife to her throat. "Make this nice and easy and no-one gets hurt"

She could feel herself sobbing as he took his hand away from her mouth. "Please just take what you want, I have cash in my purse, just take it."

She felt the hand with the knife move from her throat and the sharp edge of the knife drew up the inside of her thigh. "Don't worry, I'll take everything I want" the man threw her into the bags of rubbish that adorned the alleyway. As he lowered himself onto her she kicked out. Her Ladybug instincts to stand and fight despite the sting from the cut on her thigh. But she wasn't protected by her suit.

"I warned you" the man said having been seemingly unaffected by her kick. He put his body weight on hers and used something cold and plastic to tie her hands together behind her back so she couldn't bring them round. He gagged her with a scarf that stank of urine, he put it in her mouth, she was glaring at him.

"Someone will stop you" she managed to mumble out of the scarf.

She could make out a smile on his lips as he bent in close to her, now gagged. "No, its just you and me. The police didn't catch me earlier and I didn't get to finish what I started"

She could feel her skirt being hitched up as she tried to kick away at him. The warm contrast of blood dripping down her thigh against the cold night. Fear was sinking in. The man held the knife to her throat again and she knew he was serious. She stopped struggling. She had to. It took every fibre of her being to stop herself from retaliating. She couldn't risk being killed and leaving Louis without his mother.

'Chat, please, save me' her desperate thoughts pleaded whilst she knew there was no way out. She sobbed, clenching her teeth and succumbed to the fate.

She felt her pants being pulled to one side, hesitation and then ripped off using the knife, the point of the blade etching her skin once more. She felt the man's heavy body press against her petite frame and face as he prepared himself for entry. And then it was gone. The weight, the pressure, the horrible breath and smell. She opened her eyes and she was alone. Tied up still, no panties, the cut along her thigh still bleeding, the sting of a fresh cut near her groin where the man had cut her panties off, and a small nick on her neck where he must have caught her with the knife.

Her body was shaking in both shock and fear. She heard noise in the Alleyway again getting closer and her sobs renewed. He had obviously just forgotten something. She struggled against her bounds fruitlessly. She sat up ready to run. She felt herself being picked up. She felt a rush of wind in her hair as she opened her eyes the face of her beloved partner came into view. He placed her gently on a roof top and undid her bounds.


	15. Under the Mask

**A/N: for those who chose not to read the last chapter, here is a short bridge. Marinette was hurt and something very bad almost happened...**

* * *

 _Alya offered Marinette a ride home with her and Nino but Marinette refused. "Don't be silly Alya, I live almost round the corner, its not even a 5 minute walk"_

 _Marinette giggled and swayed a little. She had over done it on the drink after what had happened. She reassured Nino who decided to make a move before Alya threw up in the car. Marinette turned to walk the well known path home._

 _She heard footsteps behind her. When she turned to look no one was there. The hairs on the back of her neck went up, her innate senses told her there was danger. She couldn't transform. She was certainly in no state to be Lady Bug right now. Hoping she had imagined it she carried on walking. Sure enough the footsteps started up again. She decided to speed up. The footsteps sped up to. The footsteps sped quicker then hers and just as she was passing an alley between two buildings a hand grabbed her arm and swung her into the darkness._

* * *

"Marinette, princess, are you OK?" his concern as he looked at her. She broke down. She howled as he held her close. "how did you find me?" she was clinging to him so tight, practically climbing up him to find a source of comfort.

"I- I'd gone home, I was almost asleep. Tikki came... she told me you were in trouble" he held her closer as she sobbed.

"for now princess lets just get you home" as he jumped the rooftops back to her house she saw the flashing of blue lights around the alleyway. Chat had obviously called the police to take the perpetrator away. She really wasn't far from her home and Chat put her down on the doorstep in next to no time at all. She looked around and unsteadily unlocked her front door. Missing the warmth of being in Chats arms already and beginning to shake uncontrollably again.

"Chat... how did you know where I live?" he looked guilty of something but dismissed it.

"that doesn't matter, all that matters is your safe." he helped her into the house and helped her onto the couch.

"Please don't leave yet." he looked at her with caring eyes and a caring smile. "no princess, not until you want me too" he kissed her hand and placed her on the couch with a blanket draped over her shoulders. He moseyed around the house until she heard the familiar sound of water running in the bath.

"oh crap, Mari, where's Louis? " he suddenly jumped up looking from room to room.

"He's at my parents for the night." Her heart warmed as she realised he really did care for their son, even if she had never allowed them to meet.

The thoughts and emotions tumbled through her head like a washing machine on fast spin. She ran to the bathroom and emptied her stomach into the toilet.

Not too long later she was relaxing in the bath with Chat Noir sitting on the other side of the room divider talking. Not wanting to invade her privacy more than it already had been that night.

"did he-did he -" Chat tried to speak the words but couldn't form them, Marinette shook her head

"no, you saved me, just in time" she heard his breath of relief from the other side

"I should have been there sooner, I'm sorry princess, I knew when I got home something was off, as soon as I saw Tikki I-" he heard the rush of bath water as Marinette sat up quickly.

"Tikki! Tikki came to you!? Where is she, is she ok!?"

"Yeah, I said earlier but I suppose you were in too much shock to take it in. She's ok, she wanted to come in and see you but I told her to rest. Kwamis aren't used to flying around too far without their chosens near or transformed"

"why didn't you transform. Your safety trumps secret Identity any day" He continued

"Id had too much to drink, besides my secret identity means everything to me now I have Louis"

He wanted to reach out to her and hold her but after her ordeal tonight he decided it best not "bug-a-boo, please don't be so reckless, I couldn't cope if anything happened to you" he placed his forehead against his arms leaning forward in his sitting position letting his arms rest against his knees.

"Chat...I - I need to ask you something?" She ached all over. The cuts were stinging but the lavender in the bath was helping to sooth them. The pain reminded her, She had been through too much pain over the years. She just wanted it to stop.

"Chatton, why did you leave?" her question was answered with silence.

She slowly got out the bath and wrapped a towel around herself. She looked behind the divider and Chat was there, curled into himself in a sitting position, silently sobbing.

"kitty! Its OK" She knelt towards his sitting place on the floor, she smoothed his hair, much longer now from when they were teens and he fell into her arms "its OK kitty, honestly, we've lost enough time. We need to sort through this and pick up the pieces we left behind, I don't know how this is going to work but your my Chat Noir and my partner and there is nothing we cant do together" Her emotions for Chat welled up and she knew that whatever was there between her and Adrien didn't matter. It was nothing compared to her feelings for Chat.

A few minutes passed with Chat sobbing. He felt selfish and scared. Here she had just been through a nightmare and she was consoling him. What if she rejected him? Too many thoughts in too little time made his head ache and his fathers words haunted his mind 'Composure' when Chat found his breath. He closed his eyes, leant back out of Marinettes arms and just breathed the words. "Plagg, claws in"

a burst of green light left Marinette kneeling on the floor, wearing nothing but a towel in front of none other than Adrien Agreste. Plagg saw the situation and decided to pass on the pleasantries. Marinette just nodded silently to him and he nodded back in mutual agreement on what to do and he phased through the wall to curl up with Tikki. She silently took a moment to compose herself whilst he spoke softly the words he never wanted to say.

"he was my father. I let us down, how did I not see it? When I found out, I just couldn't bare to face you as...well..me... how could you possibly accept me? The son of a terrorist." silent tears drew down his cheeks. "of course I didn't know it was you. If id have known then it would have been different. If id have stayed, I would have known. I was an idiot. I'm sorry, for everything. If you want me to leave and never return, I will."

Marinette brought her hand to his cheek and wiped his tears away. It was a moment full of love and compassion. More than he ever felt he deserved but he closed his eyes and relished in the moment. She kissed his forehead and kissed his cheeks.

"Kitty, oh kitty..."she suddenly started giggling.

He looked at her incredulously, "what's so funny?"

she broke down almost into hysterics, laughing so much it hurt her stomach and tears filled her eyes. "oh kitty, don't you see? I rebuked your affection because of you and you rebuked mine because of me. We rejected each other because we loved each other. And on top of all that I've unintentionally lied to about 1000 people."

he smiled, finding the small silver lining in what had been a huge dark cloud shrouding him for over 5 years. "what do you mean, lied?"

she straightened up and slowly stopped her laughing until she was serious once more. "Louis. He is your son, he IS the secret love child of Adrien Agreste" she tried to be serious but the last part coming out in giggles

Marinette kissed his cheek again letting her confident Ladybug side show. He reached across and kissed her lips gently and not moving away he whispered "I must be the luckiest Cat in the world"

He pulled her towards him kissing her deeply and never wanting to let go. Here he had been wasting 5 years doing things which suddenly seemed menial compared to Marinette who had been raising their son.

"I am so sorry." he pleaded breaking away from the kiss.

She stroked his hair planting kisses over his face, "its OK, kitty, I understand now. We cant change the past, but we have each other now" she pulled him back into the kiss.


	16. SMUT WARNING

**A/N: SMUT WARNING! im a terrible terrible person but if im going to hell ill drag y'all with me XD - in seriousness though, if lemon and smut offend you then please skip this chapter. -bug-out-**

He opened his eyes, not familiar with his surroundings he rolled over to see the beautiful woman lying next to him. He smiled, in fact, he couldn't stop smiling. For the first time in a long time he just lay there grinning and watching her sleep soundly. He hadn't wanted to leave her and she didn't want him to go. They had fallen to sleep holding each other and talking.

He watched her sleeping, wanting so much more, his morning glory demanding he take her but his heart telling him to take it slow, especially after her ordeal last night. He kissed her lightly on the neck just breathing in her scent. He ran kisses down her collar bone as he watched her squirm beneath him and a sudden intake of breath.

She rolled into him, nuzzling herself into his chest. "Adrien?" she questioned.

"mhm?" he hummed in reply into her hair as he held her closer.

"I'm sorry its short notice but I cant come into work today" she stated grinning from ear to ear.

She could feel his hardness against her and she wanted more, she had waited so long, she knew Adrien wouldnt push it until she was ready so she rubbed his length with her leg to show him it was ok. His eyes fluttered shut and a low moan escaped his lips as he bit down on the bottom one. One simple touch already had him fit to burst.

He rolled over on top of her planting those kisses back on her cheeks and neck once more. "Well, ms dupain-cheng I'm afraid at this short notice I'm going to have to reprimand you."

her back arched as he started kissing her breasts, a low groan escaped her mouth "Is this how you treat all your employees?"

he flicked his thumb across her nipple and took it in his mouth, grazing his teeth on it slightly as he released it. "no, I'm making a special case here," he spoke between kisses trailing down her stomach "after all, you were meant to start work over two hours ago" he smiled and buried his face in her sex, greedily licking all her sweet juices, his tongue flicking over the top part of her clit and watching her grab the sheets as he did so.

He inserted a finger whilst letting his tongue concentrate on that sensitive spot at the top. He inserted a second finger and listened to her moans of pleasure. He could feel her thighs tightening on his face, her hands in his hair pushing him closer to her. He grabbed the tiny bit of flesh in his mouth and sucked. His hand was pumping her rhythmically, hard and fast. He heard her moans getting higher. He looked up to see her face contorted in immense pleasure.

"Im-im going to..." he nibbled on her clit, the bean of pleasure he had found at the top. He didn't stop pumping his fingers inside her till her walls started pulsing, and he buried them deep, maintaining a pressure on the swelling spot inside of her massaging it with his fingers, her moans died down and her body relaxed into the bed breathing deep. He kissed all the way up her body, her neck. She smiled.

"I'm not done yet" he smirked as he used his hands to gently grab her breasts and let his thumbs control her nipples like the controller to one of his video games. Her breathing started to become erratic again and he knew he could get her to go again so easy now.

"Adrien, I want you, please, I -" he didn't need telling twice, he lowered himself into position and her hand help guide him effortlessly inside her. The sensation was like nothing else, he slowly pulled himself in and out of her body feeling her wetness and warmth surround him. He slowly picked up the pace, getting faster and harder hearing her moan his name. His head went fuzzy, she was screaming and writhing in pleasure. He felt like the oxygen was being sucked from his brain. There was nothing, nothing in the world but them. He could feel her pulsing against his shaft and his body couldn't take any more and he pushed himself deep into her, releasing himself and allowing oxygen to return to his brain.

* * *

They lay there for a while, watching each other and smiling in the after glow of their actions. They both moved seamlessly, like a dance they'd danced years ago but so often their memories remembered it. Without even talking, He picked up her bra and chucked it to her whilst at the same time she chucked his boxers at him. It was like an amazing juggling act of getting dressed.

The same happened when making breakfast, she grabbed the bowls, he poured the cereal, as he was putting that back he filled the kettle, she had poured the milk and switched his now full kettle on, gently kissing his cheek as she passed him. As he got the mugs and she went on to get the coffee. On it went, like a well rehearsed play or a magical mind reading act.

They sat down across from each other sipping their coffee legs rubbing each other under the table. She smiled and let out a happy sigh. Life right now was wonderful, the way it should have been 5 years ago. She adored every part of the man sitting across from her. She felt a slow leak in the balloon of happiness inside her.

"Adrien, our friends and my parents, they know I'm lady bug" he looked at her confused.

"OK," he shrugged, "what about it?"

"well.." she sighed again but not a happy sigh more of a reluctant one "they know Chat Noir is Louis Father. When I tell them you are his father, they will know your..."

realisation dawned on Adriens face "oooooh, OK, soooo, what's the problem?" he smiled and she smiled back

"no problem, no problem at all" things were perfect, they couldn't be any more perfect then they are right now.

Meanwhile, his personal assistant waited patiently for him to come back to the mansion. She didn't know where he was and his mobile was off. She stood in the hall tapping her foot impatiently. She checked his office once more to make sure there wasn't any note. She checked the Design rooms and noted Marinettes absence as well. That was odd, she was never late to work. She turned back into the main hall way and a door caught her eye. It was the door to Gabriels office that had been shut since he was taken to prison over 5 years ago. Curiosity got the better of her.


	17. Reunited Families

**A/N: Hey! So this story is now finished (writing and processing etc) so ill be posting the remaining chapters over the period of the day when i get the chance. So I probably wont have another authors note till the end of the story now. hope you enjoy x**

Marinette took a deep breath. This was it. Adrien held her hand and put his other hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"Mari, if you don't want to do this right now, its fine" He smiled warmly at her which caused her to go weak at the knees.

"no, we need to do this sooner rather than later. Just be prepared for a LOT of questions" she took another deep breath as they entered the door to the bakery.

He planted a quick soft kiss on her neck "Of all the things I would go through for you m'lady, questions are nothing"

Marinette stopped in her tracks as Adriens head still lingered at her neck. Her mother who had been replenishing one of the glass fronts in the bakery seemed to have seen everything. Sabine had a strange twinkle in her eye.

"Oh Adrien, so nice to see you again. I knew you two would find each other eventually." she smiled and walked out the back beckoning the two to follow her.

"TOM!" Sabine called up the stairs "have a seat you two, I think you have a lot to discuss with Louie"

Marinette looked at her mother as she sat down, Adriens hand still in hers. "You knew? This whole time didnt you?"

"Oh Marinette, I didnt 'know' but I had my suspicions when you first became Lady Bug and then as Louis grew up, well, it was obvious to everyone wasn't it?"her eyes twinkled "and then of course Chat Noir comes back the same time as Adrien, you really should have given it a bit more time before resurfacing as Chat, I'm sure a lot of people are suspicious now, oh and of course Alya will be delighted, She and Nino had another bet I believe" she smiled widely as Tom entered the room with Louis on his shoulders.

"Adrien!" the little boy wiggled off his grandpas shoulders and landed cat like on the floor before running and leaping onto Adrien.

Tom looked a little surprised "Louis, how did you know Adrien would be coming with mummy today? He told me you would upstairs about 20 minutes ago." he added at the end.

Louis looked at Adrien and then at his mum, he saw they were holding hands and he grinned ear to ear. "because Adrien is my daddy" he threw his arms around Adrien who embraced him back as Sabine struggled to hold back the tears of the emotional moment.

"Hey, kid, we haven't told you yet, how did you know?" Adrien held him tighter, not wanting to miss another minute with his Son.

"Oh the same way he knows everything about me I suppose" Marinette said offhandedly "he seems to have a sixth sense for what I am doing, I guess he has it for you too. I always figured it might have been, well, the circumstances of his, you know, being..." she trailed off hoping Adrien would understand, not wanting to have a discussion about what conception meant with a 4 year old.

"oh, because we were, transformed, wow, we'll have to make all our kids like that" he smiled and Marinette blushed at the thought of Hugo and Emma becoming a reality.

"We have to get a hamster first" Louie stated and Marinette burst out laughing. "What? Tikki told me..." Louie started but was cut off by his mothers shocked look

"what do you mean Tikki? Wha- since when have you known about Tikki!" It was one of the few secrets she thought she had been able to keep from him. She sorely didn't want him to be in the lime light if he said things at playgroup or later school, and if anyone came after the heroes again.

Louie rolled his eyes reminiscent of Lady Bug herself "forever! She told me to keep it secret but I knew she was there. I found her because I knew she was there, like mummy and daddy, and daddies kwami"

with that Plagg and Tikki removed themselves from their hiding places, Plagg came to inspect Louis and Tikki came apologetically to her chosen.

"Tikki, why didn't you just tell me Louie knew?" Marinette held out her hand and held her kwami to her cheek in a hug.

"well Marinette I know you didn't want him to know, I tried to hide but he kept finding me, it turned into a game" she smiled "I have no excuse really, I'm sorry."

"Its OK Tikki, I suppose it would have just added to my worry" she turned and looked at Louie who had started playing some sort of game with Plagg.

"Well its nice to meet you too Plagg" Marinette smiled.

Plagg flew up to her face and studied her cautiously. "I decided not to introduce myself last night given the circumstances. I did notice a severe lack of cheese in the fridge though"

"Oh! Sorry Plagg, its Louie, he eats the stuff like its going out of fashion. He's the only person I know that can eat a whole wheel of Camembert without any hesitation and still have room for more! I'll get some more in later, what type of cheese do you like?"

Plagg looked at is chosens disgusted face and smirked "well well well, looks like ill be in good company"

"Camembert is about the only thing this pig eats" Adrien indicated with the kwami with his thumb.

"Thats not true!" Plagg turned round indignantly, "I also eat Swiss and Brie and parmesan and any other cheese, just Camembert happens to be the best at restoring me"

Tikki laughed "it hasn't always been that way, I remember when we were still young and all he would take was goats milk"

"Only because Camembert wasn't around thousands of years ago!" Plagg retorted.

"hey, calm down, its not a problem, I happen to know the best cheese people in Paris thanks to Louis" she nodded her head towards her son who was having his own conversation with Adrien.

They were all giggling an laughing together, one big happy family, nothing could ruin this moment.

A rumble in the distance. Marinette and Adrien flew to the window with their Kwamis to see a building collapsing. In the distance.

"Thats the Agreste Mansion, your place Adrien" Marinette said in shock. "mum dad, look after Louie, we will be back soon. Tikki, Spots on"

"Come on Plagg, Claws out!"

* * *

Landing at the rubble of what used to be the other half of the Agreste mansion Ladybug bent over to examine the smouldering ruins more closely. "Im glad I took the day off" she said solemnly noting that most of the offices were unaffected but hers and Adriens being closer to the entrance were completely gone.

Ladybug let out an audible sigh. "There goes my winter collection" she held her hands out to the side with her palms facing the air shrugging.

Chat Noir was sniffing around the rubble. "It originated from Gabriels office... my father... hawk-moth." Ladybug was looking at him concerned now.

"Was it a bomb?" Hawk-moth hadn't been around in over 5 years now, surely people didn't still hold a grudge against the Agrestes, although she wouldn't put it past them.

Ladybug looked around. "Something else is off too chat" he looked at her quizzically still trying to smell the source of the explosion "where are all the police?"

Chat had just picked up a half burned book and dropped it instantly. "LB, it's – this is -"

he didn't manage to get his words out before another explosion across town was heard. Chat instinctively knew where it was and they needed to get there fast.

"Akuma!" Chat finished his sentence before extending his baton and pole vaulting towards the newest explosion with Ladybug following suit. "Its the prison... the Akuma is freeing my father"

Ladybugs panicked expression made them both move faster then they thought possible towards the noise where they could hear sirens and the police had obviously been there a little while.

"What on earth is going on?" Ladybug voiced the same question that was on everyone's mind

* * *

His patience had paid off. All his hard work in prison, not allowing himself to let himself go. He knew this day would come. He was aware he didn't have long to plan and then he would need to be patient once again.

Blood dripped off the piece of glass he held, both blood from his arm where he had torn it up smashing through the window of the small shop and his hand from gripping it too tight whilst fighting and the blood of the old man in front of him. Gasping his final breaths. "Master Fu I believe?" Gabriel sneered at him. "Lets see if you are right or wrong, maybe the miraculous cannot bring people back to life?"

He watched the old man take his final breaths and he gracefully stepped over him and went straight to the gramophone where he knew the miraculous were held. It took him too long to work out the code to get into the miraculous and then the box itself was a puzzle box. He knew he would only have moments left to get out of there. He appreciated the destiny that the puzzle box bestowed the butterfly miraculous broach to him as his prize and he dashed away from the scene as fast as he could.

He looked around. He needed to find a place to hide this so no-one would find it. Not until he found the right person to take it. He found himself in the park near the school Adrien went to as a teenager. He placed the broach in the specially made jar and buried it as deep as possible in a freshly dug flower bed. He took note of its placement and decided to walk around the park some more before inevitably his freedom was taken from him once more. He looked across and saw the bakery Ladybugs parents owned, maybe it would be worth a visit.

His eyes narrowed on his destination. He knew the Marinette girl was Ladybug. He had seen it through the eyes of one of his akuma many years before. He decided not to use it to his advantage too much until he could discover the identity of the damn cat who evaded his radar.


	18. Cleansing Light

Chat pounced from the broken building he was stationed on. His cataclysm tore through the ground underneath the poor akumatised victim who they had learnt was his personal assistant. She screamed as the earth gave-way beneath her and they could see her screwing up another agenda from her clipboard and getting ready to throw her latest bomb.

They had already figured out some of the basics from the information they had from the police and their fight with his personal assistant (now named bomber) they knew the akumatised object was the clipboard she kept her agendas on. They had figured it was because Adrien hadn't phoned to tell her they were not coming in and therefore left her to drop the bomb on the business men who were meant to be meeting with him that day.

They hadn't figured out how she had been akumatised but her special power was to be able to drop bombs from her agenda board. Not just 'drop and boom' as Chat had eloquently stated but she could program them to her will. Big, small, tiny, time delay. She had already been to the prison and freed Gabriel an hour before the bomb at the mansion had gone off.

Before she had the chance to create her latest paper bomb ladybug had taken advantage of her sudden plunge into the ground to use her cleverly crafted water-gun to soak the papers through. Together Chat and Ladybug grappled the clipboard off of her and broke it. They watched in amazement as their teen years flashed before them and the little purple butterfly tried to fly off.

"time to de-evilise" Ladybug smiled with her trademark pose. "ha" she exclaimed as she caught the akuma in the cleansing light of her yo-yo. She pulled it back towards her and tapped on the side to reveal a pure white butterfly emerge. "bye bye little butterfly" she smiled.

She looked at Chat Noir once again and throwing her lucky charm water bottle (which she had turned into a water gun) into the air she exclaimed "miraculous ladybug" and the ladybug swarm that Paris had not seen in over 5 years swept the city, rebuilding everything and healing all people caught in the attack.

Both miraculous beeped as the TV crews started badgering them with interview questions. "Everything we know will be on the lady-blog with an exclusive interview tomorrow. For now bug-out" and her and chat flew off in the same direction of the Agreste mansion both keen to see the same thing as the other. The security footage.

* * *

They landed by the mansion and making sure it was just them they de-transformed. The door to the mansion was a jar and they could see a wall of dust in the light that shone through the pillars towards the porch. Pushing the door further they saw loads of tiny moths flying all around the room. All of the tiny white moths seemed to be spreading from the former office of Gabriel Agreste.

They peered in the door to see the carpet covered in moth balls and holes where the moths had obviously feasted on it for the past 5 years. There was a hole in the floor behind the dust covered desk. The secret passage from the observatory and Gabriels office had never been found. They presumed it must have opened itself during a thunder storm had struck the house causing a power surge many years ago.

"the moths must have come up and laid eggs in the carpet and- maybe get an exterminator in?" Marinette screwed up her nose at the stuffy smell and batted away a few moths flying at her face.

The security footage revealed Adriens assistant about to enter the office and then receive a phone call "that must have been my meeting" Adrien stated rubbing the back of his neck guiltily. She looked pretty distressed. She seemed to compose herself before glancing around and pushing Gabriels door lightly. It didn't open. She looked around again and took the skeleton key from her pocket.

She unlocked the door and gave it a big nudge. The motion detection switched on the office camera "its actually temperature and motion detecting" Adrien informed when Marinette questioned why it didn't pick up the moths all these years. "its specifically designed for capturing humans on camera, thats how he saw me taking his book that time" Adrien grimaced at the memory and why he had never connected the dots at that time.

The assistant almost fell into the room and started flapping away at all the moths coming at her, stepping back and catching her heel on a hole in the carpet. Her face was expressed that she fully regretted what she had done the instant she had opened the door. They watched in terror as she moodily picked up her clipboard and her phone started ringing again. The Akuma came from seemingly nowhere, it had obviously been created during the final battle and then just resided somewhere between here and there until it found a victim finally in its presence.

the akuma landed on her clipboard and the purple outlined her face and she transformed into the bomber. She went to Gabriels desk and took out a jar before She set a timed bomb for 1 hour and fled for the prison where her master was wanting release. The police had already explained that she had blown all the locks of the prison one by one and by time they realised what was even going on Gabriel had already gone.

"what was the jar about?" Marinette asked Adrien who shrugged. Her answer came from an old voice behind them.

"That jar was no ordinary jar" they spun around to see master fu with Wyazz on his shoulder. "That Jar was handcrafted by the Guardian monks many decades ago. It has the properties to rebound power from the outside and guard it from within."

Master fu let out a heavy breath. "I have failed again."

"Master-fu, it wasn't your fault, you nearly died!" wyazz cut in whilst everyone looked at master-fu in curiosity and shock.

"Your father came straight to see me when he escaped, he stabbed me and presumed me dead before seeking out the miraculous box. He was not able to access the entire box but managed to escape with 1. nooroo is once again missing" Tikki, Wyazz and Plagg all looked very solemn for their lost friend.

"I can only presume your father knew that the healing power of the ladybugs would put him back in prison so he has put nooroo in the jar and hidden him somewhere, who knows where. We will not be able to detect him whilst he is in the jar, just as the ladybugs were not able to return him to my box. He thought me to be dead, that may well end up a grave error on your fathers judgement Adrien." he winked at Adrien

"Master, do not pretend like it was nothing, I was there as you were taking your last breaths, if ladybug had not healed the city when she did you would have been lost forever." Master Fu tapped Wyazz on the head gently, consoling his kwami for what he had been through.

His tone lightened as he turned to leave and mystically said "before I nearly died there was a very strong surge of energy which came from the direction of Marinettes parents bakery. I wonder what it could have been"

Marinette and Adrien looked at one another, by time they looked back master fu had vanished into thin air and they ran full pelt towards the bakery, Marinette had her phone to her ear willing her parents to pick up.


	19. nana im catbug'

"everything is fine Marinette, honestly, ill tell you when you get here, it may be easier to explain that way, no Louie is fine," Sabine soothed her daughter down the phone.

Still on the phone to her, Marinette burst through the doors of the living-room above the bakery and looked around frantically for her son. Her mother shook her head and put the phone down. "I told you everything is fine, please you two, sit down and let me get you a drink. Louie has had a tiring morning and Tom has taken him to see if he wants to nap"

Marinette looked at her mum confused. "Louie hasnt napped in the day for over 2 years, much to my dismay sometimes, not unless he is ill, oh the gods, mum, is he ok-" Sabine held her hand up to silent her daughter once more and held out a beverage to her.

"ok, let me talk and then questions and I will answer if I can. Tikki plagg I need you to." Tikki and plagg came to sit on their chosens laps confused as to why they maybe needed but suspecting it had to do with the surge master fu had felt.

Sabine breathed deeply "not long after your disappearance to see to the explosion, Louie was playing. He was being very cute and pretending he was his daddy and mummy and he was a super hero, he said 'nana im cat-bug, claws out' and then he-"

"mum, please what happened" Marinette loved the stories of how cute Louie was but thought there was a pressing issue her mother was neglecting to tell her.

"well" Sabine continued "you had been gone for about 30 mins and his excitement died down. He started getting scared and we couldnt console him. His eyes, they turned into cat eyes, he seemed to grow a soft black fur over his body and he grew antennas which started twitching. His nails grew longer and thinner and became just like cat claws. I thought I had imagined it at first because it happened and then he was back to normal but less scared. He did go quite though and he turned to face the front door. His tail twitched and ears pricked up on his head, and then the tail left and he had wings on his back, it was like his body couldn't decide if it wanted to be a cat or a ladybug. Just as his body seemed to decide on something it was gone and replaced by something else. Then all of it left and he was Louie again. He told me 'grandpa is coming' and pointed to the door, I told him papa was just in the next room-" Sabine stopped as if remembering something awful and gulped before continuing

"he said 'no nana not papa, grandpa, hes not happy with nana and papa. Did nana and papa do something bad to grandpa?' I was trying to understand what he meant and Gabriel came in. he knew Marinette was ladybug and he wanted to kill us or hurt us, I don't know. But he saw Louie. He mistook him for Adrien (of course) wondering what happened to make his son small once more. When he realised it wasn't Adrien he pushed him into the wall"

at this point Adrien was pretty much hissing and Marinette had her fists baled and shaking with rage..

"he made to come at me and Louie, he pounced on him and scratched at his face, hissing like a cat but with ladybug wings and antenna. Before we could do much else the ladybugs came and Gabriel was gone and Louie was back to normal." Sabine finished and took a long drink from her glass before setting it down.

The room was silent in thought and the only noise to be heard was the occasional thumping from the room upstairs where Louie was most obviously not taking any form of nap at the moment.

"Tikki" Marinette stared in a small voice "what, what does this mean?"

Tikki looked in deep thought and with a look at Plagg they both nodded and flew up to face the couple at eye level together.

"when Louie was conceived" Tikki started "you were both superheroes, infused with our powers, this obviously had an effect on his conception and now he isn't a normal human like you two, he doesn't need a miraculous to transform and use powers. He has a natural magic. Its not something that has happened before. Its been theorised. I had my suspicions with his natural telepathy abilities with the two of you. It seems he has those abilities with other magical presence. That why he could sense your father Adrien and the two of you and me, but doesn't have that sense with Marinettes parents who don't possess such strong auras. He will have to learn to control his powers. It will be long and arduous. A lifetime of learning and in some cases painful. You are lucky, it is theorised that a child conceived under magical transformation may have these abilities or they can be born with no human abilities. Sight, hearing, movement, taste, basically a shell." Tikki looked sadly at Plagg "You mustn't risk it with your other children"

Adrien and Marinette both nodded knowing that even if the risk was small it was not worth it. Marinette was worried about Louie and how he was going to learn to control his abilities and how hard it will be for him and Tikki had mentioned painful. With those thoughts buzzing around her head Adrien was tugging her arm. "Adrien, what is it?"

he was looking up gawping at the ceiling, when Marinette looked up her expression became the same. It wasn't just thoughts of Louie buzzing around her head but Louie himself was buzzing around. He smiled cheerfully and with a pop his ladybug features were gone and he looked like a rather large kitten that fell into Adriens lap.

"daddy look what I can do!" he stated proudly showing off various aspects of his transformation he could change at will.

"Maybe it wont be a long and arduous and painful journey after all" Tikki said smiling next to Marinette.

She gave the small kwami an affectionate hug to her face "no maybe not in that aspect but I think we have a lot ahead of us to think and talk about in the next few months." she sighed


	20. Time jump

It had been almost a year since the Akuma incident and Adrien and Marinette had found themselves facing each other at the alter for their long awaited wedding day. Alya and Nino were expecting their first child in the next couple of months and Alya was working herself too hard and Nino was desperately trying to get her to relax.

Ladybug and Chat Noir had already had their public wedding a few months prior, covered off course by the lady-blog, but as their official names were not used it was an invalid wedding and more just for show for the public then anything else.

The whole day went by in a haze. Marinette was lying across a beautiful couch leaning against her husband as they watched Louie and Alya dancing and Nino trying to control the two of them. Adrien stroked Marinettes hair gently and kissing any part of her he could reach in the position they were in. Marinette seemed to make up her mind about something.

Looking back on this day in the years to come Marinette will always say "your meant to remember your wedding day, but it goes by so quickly, I just remember the happiness and the love. Oh and telling your father that I was pregnant again" her eyes always glinted maliciously remembering how Adrien reacted shocked and then over the moon

* * *

Marinette was spooning into her husband, it was 10pm and she was exhausted, as was he. It had been a long day of meetings and design touch ups ready fro the spring fashion show next week. Marinette looked across at the wall where one of her favourite wedding pictures had been put onto canvas for her. Around it were smaller canvases of other joyous moments in their lives.

It had been 14 years since they were married, she always wished she could remember more about the day and was always grateful that Alya and her parents and the photographer took so many pictures. Her clearest memory was on that white couch at the end of the day.

The low ceilinged, darkened room, lit up by disco lights from the dance floor in the centre. The white couch was a little way out of the lights so they could see but not clearly seen. Although many who did see offered to give them a private moment.

"Adrien" she had said, remembering her words exactly "what do you think about another baby?"

"mm?" he had hummed into her hair

"Adrien, I'm trying to say, I think I may be pregnant" She of course knew as she had taken a test that morning but she knew things could go wrong in the early days.

He was shocked at first and then elated. He had missed out on Louie as a baby and he vowed that this child he would get up every night and do every nappy change. He took those words back a few weeks later when the scan revealed they were having twins.

Marinette smiled to herself that she could rememberer that moment and that day so vividly but the wedding day was such a haze. Emma and Hugo had been born on time and perfectly healthy. She had attempted to breast feed them as she did with Louie but with two of them she found it too much and ended up combi feeding on both breast and bottles. Adrien was a superstar. He handed the company over for a whole 2 years to be a full-time dad with the twins and Marinette did the most important design work at home whilst leaving most of everything else up to their trusty team of employees.

They had so much wonderful support. She smiled to herself as she heard a bump from the room next to them.

"Looks like the kids are back from patrol." she whispered to her partner beside her.

Having passed the miraculous onto Emma and Hugo and Louie having his own gifts they were used to the odd bumps of landings. Marinette was happy that she could share that part of her life with her children, although it had terrified her at first when she thought about what she went through.

She was glad that at least her children were just patrolling and there was nothing untoward like akumas running around. Her life was peaceful, perfect and as she snuggled backwards into her loving husband she couldn't help wondering if anything could ever break them apart. She was indeed the luckiest girl in the world.


	21. Finally

"wha- are you sure? Hes not had a visitor in almost 20 years!" the guard looked at the dishevelled woman in front of him unable to believe that anyone would come to visit Gabriel Agreste. Especially after almost 20 years of being in prison.

"yes, im sure." her looks may have been dishevelled, almost looking like she was homeless but her voice was strong and commanding.

The guard made no attempt to deny her and went through the normal necessary precautions to search her and set up the safe room where Gabriel wasn't to have any contact with the visitor. Although he no longer had his powers they were still wary to keep him away from the public. He did however have human rights and therefore they couldn't refuse visitors without valid reason.

When no reason was brought to light the woman was led to a small room with a phone either side of the glass. The room was clean and bright and she could see the cameras pointed at them both, probably both watching and listening to everything that was to transpire between them. She was glad of the code they had created in their letters. Of course all letters were screened so they themselves were in code but by using fashion details only Gabriel would know she was able to create a code that the letters screening couldn't see.

"I warn you mam, this ones been going a bit crazy lately, he talks and it makes no sense" the guard behind her warned as Gabriel made his way in, handcuffs behind his back and two guards flanking him.

Despite his years in prison and his lack of commendation his money and fame had once brought him he was still a respectable looking man. His age showed deeply in his hands, face and hair which receded symmetrically along the sides of his crown leaving a runway of short hair in the centre of his head. He carried himself upright and important and still had his stern impression. Despite his own circumstances he caught sight of his first visitor in 20 years and a sneer of disgust came to his face before he was un-cuffed and graciously picked up the phone.

The woman recoiled slightly and copied the action.

"the grass is green outside" Gabriel began to speak "spring, spring, spring, spring, spring, spring, is it spring yet?" not waiting for an answer to his question he continued and the woman listened intently. " you want to walk on the catwalk then you have to learn to walk down, right to the bottom, turn at the corner, look back... - I – imagine rose petals, flowers, dresses as flowers, modelled in the park, on a bench, no, no , not on the bench-" his rambling continued as a far away look glazed his eyes.

"a bench on the background, a fountain nearby, yes yes the fountain, the fountain goes up towards the bench and its spring, spring, spring, spring, spring. My son. He models. Do you know him?" again he made no wait for an answer "yes, yes of course you do. Everyone knows him, ill make it right with him, he will be more obedient, I know hes been sneaking off and that bug, she's that bug, you know this right?" this time he waited for a nod of confirmation from the woman in front of him.

"disgusting bugs, disgusting, my son and a bug. Although, if the bug worked for me, if I owned the bug, yes, then id have control and the bug would be in my care. Id care for the bug." he seemed to go into a far off trance. The woman hanging off his every word.

He snapped out of his trance and his face became serious once more. He sneered at the woman in front of him before making his final remarks "I better not see you again in the future." he stood to make his leave before turning back with a smirk on his face and leaning into the phone once more "Your a dire blip of your past self. That is the one I would happily see again. Until then... goodbye Lila"

the woman hung up the phone and made her way towards the exit whilst the guard confirmed his own suspicions. "yep, off his rocker, he thinks its spring and its autumn. You should see his cell, covered in numbers and designs. He's gone completely mad"

Lila paid no attention to the guard. She had all the information she needed. 7 springs and green grass. - that was the park near the old school – down the catwalk, turn the corner and look back. There it was, just as he said, flower beds, a bench and a fountain. She stood by the bench and walked 5 'springs' towards the fountain along the flower bed. It was dark now and no one would notice her digging the flower beds. This was her chance, she knew it would be buried deep. This was her chance to make things right.

She felt her fingers scrape on metal and frantically dug around the sides to grasp at the edges of the jar she could feel. The dirt under her nails made her fingers sore and she cut her hand on sharp stones. She could feel the slime of the occasional worm as she pulled the handfuls of dirt from around the jar. Eventually she freed the jar from its resting position and scurried off to a place hidden from the world.

As she walked the darkened and abandoned streets she dreamed about the life promised by Gabriel. All she had to do was get the ladybug and cat miraculous and she could wish to go back in time. Gabriel would be Hawk-moth again, she would have Adrien and her fame and fortune back. Gabriel knew who the ladybug was back then and he would give her the miraculous instead. She would have it all.

The observatory she made her way to had been abandoned for years now. They had tried to make something of it but many people still refused to go there due to its connections attached to hawk moth. Eventually it had been knocked down to be built up with houses but due to money issues with the government and the building company went into administration the houses had been put on hold. The houses that promised to be luxurious had been left to rot for all of 10 years now whilst the government made up their mind what to do with the land.

She made her way into the attic of one of these buildings and slowly released the lid of the jar and pulled out the butterfly broach from inside. She pinned it to her shirt and smiled as Nooroo bowed to meet her. They needed no real introduction. Nooroo could tell by her essence that he was again in the hands of bitterness and despise.

"what do I call you?" Lila demanded.

"nooroo" the small kwami squeaked, her essence was even worse than his previous capture.

"And how do you grant me powers?" the glint in her eyes, made him want to refuse, to renounce his powers and die. But kwamis couldn't die. They could only hibernate and when a charge had the miraculous, that wasn't possible unless they were renounced.

"wings rise for power and fall to rest- you can add your own adjective if you wish."

"What did hawk moth use?" nooroo knew he was in trouble, she was his student with more malicious and hate then her master.

"dark wings"

"Then – nooroo... Dark wings, rise"

* * *

Across the city a young girl had been bullied by her crush. Despair and rejection bubbled through her and a strange purple butterfly landed on the confession letter she held in her hand.

"Rejection stings, it hurts, you will make him pay for mocking your affections. In return you will capture the miraculous earrings of the spotted bug and the ring of the chatton. Bring them to me and you will never be rejected again. Go, show them your true strength, heart breaker, and bring me their miraculous"

* * *

 **A/N: thank you sooooo much for reading this story, all your support, you have no idea what it means to me! keep the reviews coming please and look out for the sequal to this baby ;) the title will probably be "the unbreakable destiny of yin and yang" or something simmilar. I have so many ideas for it but no structured plot written for it yet so it might be a long ongoing one or it might end up flowing like a waterfall. again, thank you thankyou and a special mention of my husband who put up with me typing till late at night and ignoring him for my laptop and dealing with the kids whilst I had a flow of ideas I couldnt risk stopping (L) couldnt do it without him. my rock, my yin. so for the last time in this story -bug-out-**


	22. Sequel has commenced

Hey, thanks for following this story, please check out the sequel: The unbreakable destiny of Yin and Yang thank you again for all your support and motivation, your reviews are well received. -bug-out-


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